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Africa Subsaharan
Kenya says 'most' hostages freed after forces launch attack inside mall
2013-09-22
"Most" of the hostages who have been holed up at an upscale shopping mall in Kenya's capital after it was attacked by members of an Al Qaeda-linked Somali militant group on Saturday have been freed, Kenya's military says.

Kenya's armed forces launched a "major" assault on the militants on Sunday night -- about 30 hours after the Islamists stormed the Nairobi mall in an attack that left at least 68 dead and 175 injured. At around midnight local time, Kenya's Defence Forces said it had rescued most hostages and had taken control of most of the mall, but declined to give numbers. Officials said four Kenyan military personnel were wounded in the operation.

Kenya’s president, Uhuru Kenyatta, said in a national address Sunday that security forces had managed to isolate the “criminals” in one place inside the building, according to Reuters. Two helicopters were seen flying over the mall.

There are between 50 to 200 hostages and most of them were hiding in various places inside the mall, Fox News confirms. They are not being held by the hostage-takers. There are between 10 to 15 militants currently inside the mall, with at least one being female.Some of the people in hiding managed to escape before the military assault, according to Kenyan media reports.
Posted by:tu3031

#4  So the FBI does a (c)overt op in Kenya but can't find Libyans who killed our ambassador. Anything for Dad.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2013-09-22 19:37  

#3  So the FBI does a (c)overt op in Kenya but can't find Libyans who killed our ambassador. Anything for Dad.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2013-09-22 19:37  

#2  now track each and every asshole back to their hometown/village/shithole, kill the Imams that incited them and kill a few village elders that allowed this shit to go on.
Posted by: Frank G   2013-09-22 19:25  

#1  From the Kenya Daily Nation:

Kenyan troops backed by Israeli and FBI agents on Sunday battled to end a siege on Westgate Mall and free hostages held by Somali militants in an attack in which 59 people were killed and more than 175 injured.

On Sunday, the government estimated that between 10 and 15 attackers were still holed up in the mall with about 36 hostages. The Kenya Red Cross estimated the injured at 200 and 49 still missing.

Sporadic gunfire rang out as security officials said they were trying to kill or capture the remaining attackers and end the 28-hour-long bloodbath at the Westgate mall.

“The Israelis have just entered and they are rescuing the hostages and the injured,” a Kenyan security source said. The Israeli foreign ministry refused to confirm or deny its forces were involved.

At 6.15pm, a Nation reporter at the scene said the helicopters surveying the scene were flying low and there was sustained gunfire in the building with the attackers reportedly holed up in a room with bulletproof glass.

The assault is understood to involve officers and soldiers from three units of the Kenya Defence Forces, the Regular and Administration police and the Anti-Terror Police Unit. Nation reporters could identify officers and soldiers from the Gilgil-based 20 Para Battalion who are understood to be working with the Special Forces and their colleagues from the Rangers Strike Force.
Posted by: tu3031   2013-09-22 18:54  

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