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Four dead in gun fight inside Nairobi's Westgate centre | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A gun battle inside a shopping centre in the Kenyan capital Nairobi has left at least four people dead. | |
Armed police are exchanging fire with gunmen at the Westgate centre in the Westlands district - one of the city's most exclusive shopping malls. | Armed police are exchanging fire with gunmen at the Westgate centre in the Westlands district - one of the city's most exclusive shopping malls. |
One witness said the attackers threw grenades into the building at about midday local time (09:00 GMT). | |
Dozens of shoppers fled the building. At least four people are wounded. A number of others are trapped inside. | |
Nairobi police chief Benson Kibue told AP news agency that the gunmen were trying to rob a shop within the mall when the shooting began. | |
Police arrived about a half an hour after about five armed assailants stormed the building, eyewitnesses say. | |
Dutch embassy employee Rob Vandijk told AP that he had been eating at a restaurant in the centre when gunmen threw hand grenades inside the building. | Dutch embassy employee Rob Vandijk told AP that he had been eating at a restaurant in the centre when gunmen threw hand grenades inside the building. |
He said machine-gun fire then rang out, and people dropped to the ground. | He said machine-gun fire then rang out, and people dropped to the ground. |
Cars were left abandoned outside the building after the attack began. | Cars were left abandoned outside the building after the attack began. |
Armed police took cover behind vehicles outside. "We have officers at the scene trying to get out the group shooting inside," a police official told AFP news agency. | Armed police took cover behind vehicles outside. "We have officers at the scene trying to get out the group shooting inside," a police official told AFP news agency. |
"Officers are approaching the situation with caution because there are innocent civilians inside," he said. | "Officers are approaching the situation with caution because there are innocent civilians inside," he said. |
There are fears that there may be some hostages, the NTV channel reports. | There are fears that there may be some hostages, the NTV channel reports. |
The Westgate centre is often frequented by wealthy Kenyans and expatriates. Police have urged residents to stay away from the area. | The Westgate centre is often frequented by wealthy Kenyans and expatriates. Police have urged residents to stay away from the area. |