NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Gunmen threw grenades and opened fire Saturday killing at least 22 people in an attack targeting non-Muslims at an upscale mall in Kenya's capital that was hosting a children's day event, a Red Cross official and witnesses said.

The attackers remained inside and firing subsided as military surrounded the mall hours after the attack. People continued to trickle out from hiding places within the Westgate mall, which is frequented by expatriates and rich Kenyans in Nairobi's affluent Westlands neighborhood.

Kenya Red Cross official Abbas Gullet said at least 22 people were killed in the attack that police blamed on terrorists. He said the death toll would likely rise.

"We are treating this as a terrorist attack," said police chief Benson Kibue, adding that there are likely no more than 10 attackers involved.

Police did not say what group was responsible for the attack.

Somali's rebel group al-Shabab vowed in late 2011 to carry out a large-scale attack in Nairobi in retaliation for Kenya's sending of troops into Somalia to fight the Islamic insurgents.

Off duty Sgt. Major Frank Mugungu said Saturday he saw four male attackers and one female, and that he could clearly identify one of the gunmen as a Somali, though he could not identify the rest.

The Westgate mall, with shops like Nike, Adidas and Bose, has Israeli ownership, and security personnel have in the past identified the mall as a likely terror target in the city.

Elijah Kamau, who was at the mall at the time of the midday attack, said that the gunmen made a declaration that non-Muslims would be targeted.

"The gunmen told Muslims to stand up and leave. They were safe, and non-Muslims would be targeted," he said.

Jay Patel, who sought cover on an upper floor in the mall when shooting began, said that when he looked out of a window onto the upper parking deck of the mall he saw the gunmen with a group of people.

Patel said that as the attackers were talking, some of the people stood up and left and the others were shot.

The gunmen carried AK-47s and wore vests with hand grenades on them, said Manish Turohit, 18, who hid in a parking garage for two hours.

"They just came in and threw a grenade. We were running and they opened fire. They were shouting and firing," he said after being marched out of the mall in line with about 15 people who held their hands in the air.

Rob Vandijk, who works at the Dutch embassy, said he was eating at a restaurant inside the mall when attackers lobbed hand grenades inside the building. He said gunfire then burst out and people screamed as they dropped to the ground.

It appears the attack began at the outdoor seating area of Artcaffe at the front of the mall, witnesses said.

Patrick Kuria, an employee at Artcaffe, said: "We started by hearing gunshots downstairs and outside. Later we heard them come inside. We took cover. Then we saw two gunmen wearing black turbans. I saw them shoot."

Some people were shot at the entrance to the mall after volleys of gunfire moved outside and a standoff with police began. Ambulances continued to stream in and out of the mall area, ferrying the wounded who gradually emerged from hiding inside the mall.

People clutched their small children, and some cried. At one point in the day mall guards used shopping carts to wheel out wounded children.

A local hospital was overwhelmed with the number of wounded being brought in hours after the attack, so they had to divert them to a second facility.

Almost 24 hours after gunmen stormed an upscale Nairobi mall, spraying bullets and killing dozens, the terror wasn't over.

An unknown number of hostages were still holed up Sunday in parts of Westgate mall, Kenya's National Disaster Operation Centre tweeted.

"That is what we suspect. We cannot share any further information," the agency said.

At least 43 people have been killed in the attack, Kenya Red Cross chief, Abbas Gullet said Sunday. He said more than 200 others were wounded.

Kenyan police and soldiers continued to face off with assailants. It's not clear how many attackers are left, or what they plan to do with those still trapped in the mall.

Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked militant group based in Somalia, claimed responsibility for the bloodshed and vowed not to negotiate with Kenyan authorities.

The group said "all Muslims" were escorted from the mall before the attack.

"The Mujahideen are still strong inside #Westgate Mall and still holding their ground," the group tweeted late Saturday. "All praise is due to Allah!"

 KalashnikovMarine wrote:
So beyond the horrible event itself, AQ uses freaking twitter AND hashtags now? Feth it man.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan's military said late Sunday it had rescued "most" of the remaining hostages held by al-Qaida-linked militants in an upscale Nairobi mall after launching a major operation to end a two-day standoff that had already killed 68 people.

The military assault, which began shortly before sundown, came as two helicopters circled the mall, with one skimming very close to the roof. A loud explosion rang out, far larger than any previous grenade blast or gunfire volley.

Kenyan police said on Twitter that a "MAJOR" assault by had started to end the bloody siege.

"This will end tonight. Our forces will prevail. Kenyans are standing firm against aggression, and we will win," Kenya's National Disaster Operation Centre said on Twitter.

Kenya Defence Forces later said it had rescued most hostages and had taken control of most of the mall.

 Seaward wrote:
I don't think I've ever seen a more eclectic mix of rifles (and scary trigger discipline) on guys from the same command in one place before.

 Seaward wrote:
I don't think I've ever seen a more eclectic mix of rifles (and scary trigger discipline) on guys from the same command in one place before.

 Seaward wrote:
That Daily Mail article also states that Al Shabaab translates as "The Lads," which, despite the horrific circumstances, I find hilarious.

 Frazzled wrote:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2430324/Kenya-mall-attack-Up-3-American-teens-Minnesota-involved-Nairobi-massacre.html

Three Somali Americans were among the terrorists.

 Seaward wrote:
SAS is supposedly there as well. They've been running into Somalia with the Kenyans on and off for a while now.

Nairobi terror attack: 'SAS hero' saves up to 100 lives



An off-duty SAS member has been credited with saving dozens of lives in the Kenyan shopping centre siege.

He reportedly went back and forth between the building and the outside world around 12 times, helping people escape from the complex.

“He went back in 12 times and saved 100 people. Imagine going back in when you knew what was going on inside.”

On-duty Special Air Service soldiers were also at the scene last night, helping the Kenyan authorities in their final attempt to free the hostages.

A team of the soldiers was advising the local military as they stormed the shopping centre, and were on standby to take part.

Amina Mohamed, Kenya’s foreign minister, said today that a British woman extremist and "two or three" Americans were among the terrorists behind the attack.

"From the information that we have, two or three Americans (were involved) and I think, so far, I have heard of one Brit... a woman ... and I think she has done this many times before," she told the US’s PBS NewsHour programme.

The Kenyan government needs to work "much more with the US and the UK because both the victims and the perpetrators came from Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States", she added.

David Cameron, the Prime Minister, who returned from a Balmoral break with the Queen to chair a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee in Whitehall yesterday, said it appeared at least six Britons had died in the incident.

Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, warned the death toll could be even higher.

"It is possible we will discover further British nationals once the building is fully secure," he said.

 Zathras wrote:
Motto of the SAS is "Who Dares Wins". He certainly did both.

 Seaward wrote:

 Zathras wrote:
Motto of the SAS is "Who Dares Wins". He certainly did both.

I'll say, but that picture's not him.