NAIROBI: At least four people have been killed and dozens of others wounded in an attack on an upmarket shopping mall in the Kenyan capital.
An armed group stormed an upmarket shopping mall in the Kenyan capital Nairobi Saturday, sparking a fierce gunbattle that wounded at least four people, police said.
According to t a female journalist “she saw three bodies laid out in front of Nairobi’s Westgate mall, while an eyewitness who survived the assault by gunmen told her that he saw at least one dead body and dozens of others wounded inside.”
Police said they had surrounded the Westgate mall, which is popular with wealthy Kenyans and expatriates, and urged residents to stay away from the area.
“There’s an incident at Westgate and we’re urging the public to keep off the area. Our officers are on the ground carrying out an evacuation of those inside as they search the attackers who are said to be inside,” Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said.
“The attackers have so far injured four people. We will provide you with regular updates as we try to save the situation.”
Another police official said: “Officers are approaching the situation with caution because there are innocent civilians inside.”
“The gunmen tried to fire at my head but missed. At least 50 people were shot. There are definitely many casualties,” a mall employee, Sudjar Singh, told AFP.
“I saw a young boy carried out on a shopping cart, it looked like he was about 5 or 6. It looked like he was gone, he was not moving or making any noise.”
Three bodies were laid out in front of the mall, their heads covered, according to an AFP reporter.
The area is surrounded by police and ambulances and armed police and security guards could be seen crouching in the parking area.
Shocked and terrified people ran from the area, some of them wounded, while cars with bullet holes were abandoned outside.
“I saw three of the attackers dressed in black and with covered faces and they were carrying heavy rifles,” said a witness and survivor who identified herself as Annette.
Kenneth Kerich, who was shopping when the attack happened, described scenes of panic.
“I suddenly heard gunshots and saw everyone running around so we lied down. I saw two people who were lying down and bleeding, I think they were hit by bullets. The gunfire went on from ground floor and the upper floors,” he said.
“Initially we thought it is police fighting thugs. But we could not leave until when officers walked in, shot in the air and told us to get out.”
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