"Most Nairobi Mall Hostages Rescued, Kenyan Army Says"
- The Huffington Post
It certainly was not a regular shopping day on Saturday September 21st at the Westgate Centre Mall in Nairobi, Kenya. The attack began at 12:00 pm when militants entered the mall throwing grenades and firing automatic weapons. Prior to their entry, two helicopters were circling on top of the mall, one skimming across the top of the building. Kenyan Defence Forces said that they had rescued most of the hostgaes and had control over the majority of the mall. Four of the Kenyan Military personnels were injured. Throughout Saturday and Sunday, the mall was filled with the sounds of gunfire and explosions. Al- Shababs militants, the criminals were not pleased about the actions being taken against them when they stated that by reacting in an offensive manner, the Kenyan army is endangering the lives of the hostages. The Kenyan army would not release the exact number of hostages however Kenya's Red Cross said in a statement that forty-nine people were reported as missing. Kenya's Red Cross team stated that the death toll on Sunday rose to sixty-eight as nine bodies were recovered in a rescue mission.
Somalias, al-Qaida-linked rebel group, al- Shabab was held responsible for this criminal act. The attack was said to be specifically targeted on non- Muslims. The Islamic extremist group stated that this attack was retribution for Kenyan forces' 2011 push into neighboring Somalia.
According to Ryan Craggs, who posted "Most Nairobi Mall Hostages Rescued, Kenyan Army Says" on September 22nd, Kenya's military had suggested that they had recued 'most' of the hostages in attempt to end the two-day operation that had already killed sixty-eight people.
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