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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Nairobi Westgate attack: 'Assault begins' to break siege | Nairobi Westgate attack: 'Assault begins' to break siege |
| (36 minutes later) | |
| Kenyan security forces appear to have launched an assault on the Westgate shopping complex in the capital Nairobi in an attempt to break the siege there. | Kenyan security forces appear to have launched an assault on the Westgate shopping complex in the capital Nairobi in an attempt to break the siege there. |
| Gunfire and explosions were heard at the complex and a cloud of smoke could be seen billowing from the building. | Gunfire and explosions were heard at the complex and a cloud of smoke could be seen billowing from the building. |
| A Kenyan police official said that security forces had rescued some hostages held by the attackers. | A Kenyan police official said that security forces had rescued some hostages held by the attackers. |
| More than 69 people have died and more than 170 have been injured since the attack began on Saturday. | More than 69 people have died and more than 170 have been injured since the attack began on Saturday. |
| The Somali al-Shabab movement has said it carried out the attack. | The Somali al-Shabab movement has said it carried out the attack. |
| It said it was in retaliation for Kenyan military operations in Somalia. | It said it was in retaliation for Kenyan military operations in Somalia. |
| 'Gaining advantage' | |
| The latest round of gunfire and explosions appears to be a dramatic turn of events in the security forces' operation, the BBC's Mike Wooldridge reports from Nairobi. | The latest round of gunfire and explosions appears to be a dramatic turn of events in the security forces' operation, the BBC's Mike Wooldridge reports from Nairobi. |
| Television pictures showed troops running towards the complex. About 10 attackers were thought to be inside. | Television pictures showed troops running towards the complex. About 10 attackers were thought to be inside. |
| "We're increasingly gaining advantage of the attackers," inspector general of Kenyan police David Kimaiyo said in a tweet. | "We're increasingly gaining advantage of the attackers," inspector general of Kenyan police David Kimaiyo said in a tweet. |
| It is not clear as yet what caused the blasts, or what impact they are having on the operation to rescue hostages taken by the militants, our correspondent reports. | It is not clear as yet what caused the blasts, or what impact they are having on the operation to rescue hostages taken by the militants, our correspondent reports. |
| More troops can be seen on the move around the building, he adds. | More troops can be seen on the move around the building, he adds. |
| Kenyan Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said that the fire at the building was started by the "terrorists". | |
| Two of the attackers were killed this morning, and others injured. He gave a death toll of 62, lower than that of the the Kenyan Red Cross, who say 69 died. | |
| "I work 400m away and I can see heavy black smoke," local resident Eric Onchangu told the BBC. | |
| "I can see a helicopter and we know there are lots of KDF [security forces] in the area - we have been warned to stay indoors as it's so dangerous," he added. | |
| By Sunday night, Kenyan security forces said they secured most of the shopping centre and that only a small number of hostages remained under the militants' control. | |
| Repeated threats | |
| More than 1,000 people were inside the mall complex when the attack began on Saturday. | |
| Dr Sunil Sachdeva, a dentist who runs a clinic inside the mall, described the scene as the attack unfolded. | |
| "There was a tent where a cookery competition for children was carrying on and there were bodies lying under there," Dr Sachdeva said. | |
| "There's a very famous radio presenter in Kenya, she was shot. The scene was carnage and there was a guy lying right in the corner. He was cut to shreds." | |
| Prominent Ghanaian poet Kofi Awoonor - who was attending a literary festival in Nairobi - also died, as did a Chinese woman. | |
| French, Dutch, South African, Indian and Canadian nationals are also among the foreigners confirmed killed, along with a dual Australian-British national. | |
| Thousands of Kenyans have been responding to appeals for blood donations. | |
| Al-Shabab says it carried out the attack in response to Kenyan military operations in Somalia. | |
| The group, which is part of the al-Qaeda network, has repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of Somalia. | |
| There are about 4,000 Kenyan troops in the south of Somalia, where they have been fighting the militants since 2011. |