Gunmen attack Kenyan shopping centre leaving at least 15 people dead

Atleast 15 people have been killed in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, after gunmen opened fire and threw grenades in an expensive shopping centre.

Witnesses said the gunmen told Muslims to leave and shot those they believed were non-Muslim.

Abbas Guled, the secretary general of the Kenya Red Cross Society, said: "I would say so far we have at least 15 dead. The casualties are many, and that's only what we have on the outside. Inside there are even more casualties and shooting is still going on."

The Nairobi police chief, Benson Kibue, said officers were engaged in a shootout with the attackers. He initially said the men had been trying to rob a shop within the centre but later described the incident as a terrorist attack.

Elijah Kamau told the Associated Press the gunmen made the statement about Muslims as they began their attack at the Westgate shopping centre.

Armed police arrived nearly half an hour after the attacks began and engaged the gunmen in a shootout. Officers shouted: "Get out, get out", and scores of shoppers fled the building. At least half a dozen were bloodied and helped by first-aiders.

Security guards used shopping trollies to wheel out several wounded children and at least one man.




Source: Naijapal