This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/world/africa/nairobi-mall-shooting.html

The article has changed 22 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Gunmen Kill at Least 20 at Mall in Nairobi Gunmen Kill at Least 20 at Mall in Nairobi
(about 1 hour later)
NAIROBI, Kenya — A group of armed men attacked an upscale shopping mall in Nairobi on Saturday, killing at least 20 people, according to the Kenyan Red Cross, and wounding more than 50. NAIROBI, Kenya — An upscale mall popular with the Kenyan elite and the foreign diplomats and businesspeople who call Nairobi home turned into a war zone on Saturday, as gunmen opened fire on shoppers in an apparent terrorist attack, killing at least 20 people and wounding dozens more.
By midafternoon, police officers were swarming the mall and the gunmen were still inside, with reports that hostages had been taken. At nightfall, the mall remained sealed off to the public as police officers and soldiers searched floor by floor for the gunmen, who were still believed to be inside with hostages.
Benson Kibue, the Nairobi police chief, told The Associated Press that it was a terrorist attack and that there were probably no more than 10 gunmen involved. Earlier, Mr. Kibue had said the attack was part of an attempted robbery. Witnesses described hearing explosions and gunfire as they fled, leaving behind blood, broken glass and carnage in what was apparently one of the worst terrorist attacks in the country’s history.
Agence France-Presse reported that the gunmen had taken at least seven hostages, citing police and security guards at the scene. The Red Cross reported around 5 p.m. on its Twitter account that the hostages were being released, and that most hospitals in Nairobi were full. Joseph Momanyi, 26, an employee at the Nakumatt grocery store there, said that as he was running away he heard the attackers shouting that “Muslims should leave” the complex.
Gen. Abbas Guled, secretary general of the Kenyan Red Cross, said in a phone interview that 20 people had been killed and over 50 wounded. The police said four people had been wounded but had not yet confirmed any fatalities. The authorities said it was too early to identify the culprits, but suspicion immediately focused on the Shabab, the ferocious Somali militant group that has been linked to past attacks in Kenya, including a grenade and gunfire attack on two churches last year that killed 15 people.
Witnesses described hearing explosions and gunfire as they fled the premises. Kenya is widely considered a beacon of stability in an often unstable region. The United Nations has a hub here, as do many nonprofit organizations and corporations. The country’s economy is heavily dependent on tourist revenue, with peaceful safaris and gentle holidays on the coast attracting people from all over the world.
Haron Mwachia, 20, a cleaner at the mall, said he escaped by climbing over a wall. But Kenya has found itself ever more enmeshed in the bloody volatility of Somalia since October 2011, when Kenyan military forces invaded Somalia to help Somali forces fight the Shabab. And even before the rise of the Shabab, Kenya was a target for terrorist attacks. In 1998, Al Qaeda militants bombed the American Embassy in downtown Nairobi, killing 200 people, mostly Kenyans.
“I heard several gunshots and managed to run away,” he said. “Two of my colleagues were shot at while trying to escape the scene. There was also an explosion, which I suspect to have been a grenade.” Gen. Abbas Guled, secretary general of the Kenyan Red Cross, said in a phone interview on Saturday that 20 people had been killed and more than 50 wounded. The police had not yet confirmed any fatalities.
Vivian Atieno, 26, who works on the first floor of the mall, described “intense shooting,” starting around 11 a.m., before she escaped through a fire exit.
Stephen Opiyo, 25, who was working at a supermarket there, said: “We heard gunshots and started running, trying to find an escape route. I saw many people who had suffered gunshot injuries, and some have been taken away to hospital.”Stephen Opiyo, 25, who was working at a supermarket there, said: “We heard gunshots and started running, trying to find an escape route. I saw many people who had suffered gunshot injuries, and some have been taken away to hospital.”
Military helicopters hovered overhead as the police kept bystanders away from the scene.
Witnesses described attackers using AK-47 rifles and throwing grenades. Photographs from the scene showed a woman’s bloody body being lifted out of a car, the glass of the window shattered.Witnesses described attackers using AK-47 rifles and throwing grenades. Photographs from the scene showed a woman’s bloody body being lifted out of a car, the glass of the window shattered.
The police said they had surrounded the mall, and they were seen clearing the shops one by one. Vivian Atieno, 26, who works on the first floor of the mall, described “intense shooting,” starting around 11 a.m., before she escaped through a fire exit.
Haron Mwachia, 20, a cleaner at the mall, said he escaped by climbing over a wall. “I heard several gunshots and managed to run away,” he said.
“It was a horrible experience to me, and I was extremely afraid,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Military helicopters hovered overhead as the police kept bystanders away from the scene. The police said they had surrounded the mall, and they were seen clearing the shops one by one.
“Our officers are on the ground carrying out an evacuation of those inside as they search for the attackers, who are said to be inside,” Inspector General David Kimaiyo of the Kenyan police told Agence France-Presse.“Our officers are on the ground carrying out an evacuation of those inside as they search for the attackers, who are said to be inside,” Inspector General David Kimaiyo of the Kenyan police told Agence France-Presse.
While the authorities said it was too early to determine who was behind the attack, suspicions turned immediately to the Shabab, the Somali militant group that has staged attacks in other African countries that have sent troops to Somalia to help fight the Shabab. Kenyan military forces invaded Somalia in October 2011. Agence France-Presse reported that the gunmen had taken at least seven hostages, citing police officers and security guards at the scene. The Red Cross reported around 5 p.m. on its Twitter account that the hostages were being released.
In July 2010, in revenge for Uganda’s troop presence in Somalia, the Shabab killed more than 70 people who had gathered at a restaurant and a rugby field in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, to watch the final match of the World Cup. Benson Kibue, the Nairobi police chief, told The Associated Press that it was a terrorist attack and that there were probably no more than 10 gunmen involved. Earlier, Mr. Kibue said the attack had been part of an attempted robbery.
Saturday’s attack ruptured the bubble of safety that surrounds the affluent districts of the Kenyan capital. Saturday’s attack ruptured the bubble of safety that surrounds the affluent districts of the Kenyan capital. The mall, called Westgate, is in many ways like an American shopping mall, with a Converse store, a tapas restaurant and a corner where children can play while their parents shop and eat.
The United Nations uses Nairobi as a hub, and many nonprofit organizations have their regional headquarters for East Africa or even the entire continent in the Kenyan capital. On weekends, Westgate is bustling with shoppers, including well-to-do Kenyans and members of the city’s large contingent of expatriates. Brightly lighted, with peach-colored pillars and a marble stairway, the Westgate mall has more than 80 stores covering 350,000 square feet.
On weekends, the mall, called Westgate, is bustling with shoppers, including well-to-do Kenyans and the city’s large contingent of expatriates. Brightly lit, with peach-colored pillars, tan floor tiles and a marble stairway, Westgate has more than 80 stores covering 350,000 square feet. Many shopping malls in Nairobi have security guards outside, checking vehicles, searching bags and using metal-detecting wands on visitors before they enter. But the guards — lightly armed, if at all — would be no match for assailants armed with automatic rifles.
Many shopping malls in Nairobi have security guards outside, checking vehicles, searching bags and using metal-detecting wands on visitors before they enter. But the guards — lightly armed if at all — would be no match for assailants armed with automatic rifles. For years, there have been growing concerns that the Shabab would try to pull off a significant attack here in reprisal for Kenya’s deployment of troops in Somalia.
Westgate is in many ways like an American shopping mall, with a Converse store, a tapas restaurant and a corner where children can play while their parents shop and eat. The group has executed revenge attacks on other African countries that have sent troops to Somalia, including Uganda. In July 2010, the Shabab killed more than 70 people who had gathered at a restaurant and a rugby field in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, to watch the final match of the World Cup.
The United States Embassy issued a warning on Saturday after the attack, advising Americans to avoid public venues in Nairobi.

Reuben Kyama reported from Nairobi, and Nicholas Kulish from Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Tyler Hicks contributed reporting from Nairobi.

Reuben Kyama reported from Nairobi, and Nicholas Kulish from Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Tyler Hicks contributed reporting from Nairobi.