Kenya confirms 59 killed in mall attack

The death toll in Saturday attack on a Kenyan mall in Nairobi has risen to 59, the cabinet Secretary of the Interior Ministry, Joseph Lenku, said on Sunday.
Lenku, who gave the new figure while addressing journalists in Nairobi, said the number of the injured had equally risen to more than 175 and were currently receiving medical attention at various hospitals across the city.

It would be recalled that the Red Cross on Saturday confirmed that 30 persons were instantly killed when gunmen stormed the West gate Mall in Nairobi, while more than 60 others were injured in attack.
Lenku said that the gunmen, numbering 15, are still holding a number of persons hostage in the building.
He added that more than 1,000 persons, including some foreign nationals, had so far been rescued between Saturday and the early hours of Sunday.
The secretary said the attackers had been isolated and were being monitored through the CCTV, while security agencies had cordoned off the mall in an effort to rescue the remaining victims being held by the attackers in the building.
He gave the assurance that security agencies were in total control of the situation and were planning on the best possible way to rescue those being held by the attackers.
He confirmed that one of the suspects had been arrested but declined further comments, saying “disclosing the details will jeopardise the efforts of the security agents.’’
He commended the efforts of the Red Cross and others involved in the rescue operations as he confirmed that many people had donated blood to the victims receiving treatment in the hospitals.

NAN