Kenya mounts final assault to end seige

A thick cloud of black smoke billowed out from the Westgate mall as Kenyan officials said the 50-hour-long siege – which has seen the gunmen massacre at least 69 people and take dozens more hostage – was close to being resolved. 

‘We think the operation will come to an end soon,’ interior minister Joseph Ole Lenku told reporters camped outside the vast part Israeli-owned complex.

‘We are in control of all the floors, the terrorists are running and hiding in some stores ... there is no room for escape,’ he said, adding that some hostages had been freed, but without giving specific numbers. Two gunmen were also killed in the fighting.

Somalia’s al-Qaida-linked Shabaab insurgents have claimed the attack, which began midday on Saturday.

Kenyan army chief Julius Karangi said the gunmen had different nationalities. Several foreign fighters, including Somalis with dual nationalities, are members of the Shabaab force.

A Kenyan security source and a Western intelligence official said Israeli forces were also involved in the operation, along with British and US agents. Shocked witnesses said the gunmen tried to weed out non-Muslims for execution by interrogating people on their religion or asking them to recite the Shahada, or Muslim profession of faith.