By Jaime Ortega.
The Kenyan government estimates that between 10 and 15 radical Somalis from the Islamic group Al Shabab, continue this Sunday entrenched in the Westgate shopping center in Nairobi. An unknown number of hostages remain inside the building after an attack that has left at least 59 dead and between 150 and 300 wounded , according to official sources .
A number ” of unknown hostages” remains since yesterday inside the building, reported the Emergency Operations Center of Kenya ( NDOCK ) through his Twitter account, while some witnesses have also reported the same account that there had been at the mall shootings .
“The number of hostages remains unknown, ( … ) and they’re in different areas ,” he assured to the Operations Center, and added that ” We have contained the gunmen in one place, but there are hostages in other nearby areas that not accessible to the exit.”
The source explained that ” at 06.00 local time, that the Army and Special Forces control the first and second floors of Westgate. people located on the ground floor and basement are still not safe.”
However, he warned that it would stop publishing information , as it may provide clues to the terrorists on the progress of the military .
Wounded two soldiers
Outside, the building is still surrounded by the Kenyan Army , with half a dozen combat vehicles near the Mwanzi street, plus ambulances, and the press has been far from the epicenter of the terror.
Asked about the reason for the broadening of the scope of the operation which has increased since the late hours of yesterday, a soldier has responded to reporters : “That what we do, you do not see.”
Two Kenyan soldiers were evacuated this morning after being injured and were put bands over the wounds, before being transferred to a hospital in the Kenyan capital .
Kenyan television also showed pictures of a woman who has made it out safe, having been there since the beginning of the retained assault .
Speaking to the local press has reported that the survivor hid under a shopping cart of a supermarket luxurious mall.
citizen mobilization
The Kenya Red Cross Society ( KRCS ) has requested this Sunday massive blood donations under the slogan ‘ It’s about life. It’s about Westgate ‘ , in the center of Nairobi to collect “as many liters of blood as possible ” .
“There is a specific amount we target, but there is never enough blood. Expect to get as much as possible and the Government will be responsible for distribution to hospitals where they are supplied to the victims,” he told to the KRCS Secretary General , Abbas Gullet, in a telephone conversation.
The attack began around 13:00 local time on Saturday, when a dozen members of Al Shabab broke into the mall, where they threw a grenade inside and began firing at the numerous buyers who were in the building.
Since October 2011, when the Army of Kenya entered Somalia in response to a wave of kidnappings supposedly by the work of Al Shabab in neighboring Kenyan territory, the Islamic radicals threatened Kenya with reprisals by the initiative.
Since then , there have been dozens of attacks in areas bordering Somalia in the port city of Mombasa and Nairobi itself, which caused more than a hundred victims so far.
