20 huge explosions mark the afternoon as fight intensifies
A police officer tries to secure an area inside the Westgate Shopping Centre where gunmen went on a shooting spree in Nairobi September 21, 2013. More hostages were rescued overnight. PHOTO/REUTERS
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It was also apparent that while the terrorists have some hostages, there were other people in the building who weren’t under their control.
The third day of the Westgate Mall siege was marked by heavy gunfire throughout the day, about 20 powerful explosions in the early afternoon and part of the shopping complex on fire.
The blasts happened at 1.18 pm and were immediately followed by a fire in the building with thick black smoke then rising from one spot in the roof of the complex on the side close to Ukay Centre, another office and shopping complex.
There were at first 10 loud explosions- possibly the biggest since the siege started on Saturday afternoon- which were followed by small arms fire and then by another 10 similarly loud explosions.
It is understood that the rescue team set up bombs on parts of the building in an attempt to gain entry into the areas still occupied by the terrorists.
There had been sustained gunfire earlier in the day at 6.30 am, about 8.30 am. and there was more-suggesting an exchange between the terrorists and the rescuers.
This continued intermittently from 4.05 pm with Nation reporters at the scene saying the longest shooting lasted seven minutes.
Israeli and Kenyan Special Forces are working with officers from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations in the assault on areas of the mall still occupied by the terrorists and their unknown number of hostages.
It was also apparent that while the terrorists have some hostages, there were other people in the building who weren’t under their control.
Businesses in the vicinity of the mall in Westlands were closed immediately, with workers at the nearby Sarit Centre directed to leave and security guards left. They turned away everybody.
Peponi Road remained closed and the Interior Ministry also announced that civilians ought to keep off Mwanzi Road, Forces Lane and Ring Road Parklands.
“Only emergency services allowed. Stay away for your own safety,” the ministry warned.
Away from the mall crowds of curious people gathered to watch and were dispersed in the afternoon by police with tear gas. They however responded by throwing stones at the officers.
Additional reporting by John Ngirachu
