Kenyan mall shooting: Security agents battle gunmen as 30 die, 60 injured

The death toll from Saturday’s shooting at an upscale mall in Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi has risen to at least 30, with about 60 injured, according to the Kenya Red Cross Society.

Security operations to rout the 10 gunmen who stormed the four-storey Westage mall earlier in the day continue, even as the identity of the gunmen is yet unknown.

The gunmen are believed to have taken some people hostage within the mall.

The Daily Nation newspaper quoted Deputy President William Ruto as saying the government would bring the siege to end and would get to the bottom of the attack.

‘We will bring to account the perpetrators and their accomplices,’ Mr. Ruto said. ‘Our security is important. We ask all to cooperate with the security agencies not only now but when they have information they feel can help prevent such tragedies in future.’

Speaking in the same vein, Internal Security Permanent Secretary Mutea Iringo said the government was trying to bring the situation under control.

‘The security services will soon bring this matter of grave concern under control. We have also tightened security in all shopping malls in the city and we reassure Kenyans that Govt will not relent on this war,’ he said.

Iringo put the official death toll at 11 dead and 25 injured.

For his part, Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Olenku said it was not yet known who was behind the attacks, adding: ‘We do not want to speculate on who did what, but one thing I can say is that the perpetrators will be brought to book.’

There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack, but police sources hinted it could be a terrorist attack, as the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab has previously threatened to attack the mall.

The joint security operation to fully secure the mall, which is patronised by Kenyans and expatriates alike, is being carried out by the police and the army.

Television footage of the attack showed rescue officials ferrying away the wounded, many of them with horrific injuries.