Nairobi attack: Kenya mourns Westgate siege victims

Kenyan troops are continuing to comb the Westgate
shopping centre
Kenya has begun three days of national mourning
following the end of the four-day siege by Islamist
militants on Nairobi's Westgate shopping centre.
In a televised address, President Uhuru Kenyatta said six
members of the security forces were among 67 people
who had died.
Declaring the siege over, he said five militants had been
killed and 11 other suspects arrested.
As the clearing of the mall continues, the number of
dead is expected to rise.
Several bodies, including those of some attackers, are
thought to be trapped under rubble after three floors of
the building collapsed following a blaze.
Kenya's Standard newspaper reported that tens of bodies
were removed from the building on Tuesday evening.
Correspondents say the shopping centre lay largely silent
overnight and light smoke was still drifting from the
building.
'Stared down evil'
Journalists and onlookers were kept behind a security
cordon but police let some people retrieve cars from the
scene.
In his address, the president praised the response of
ordinary Kenyans, calling it exemplary and overwhelming.
"We have ashamed and defeated our attackers," he said.
"Kenya has stared down evil and triumphed."
He did not confirm earlier reports that some of the
attackers were US and British.
"Intelligence reports had suggested that a British woman
and two or three American citizens may have been
involved in the attack," said Mr Kenyatta.
"We cannot confirm the details at present. Forensic
experts are working to ascertain the nationalities of the
terrorists."
He added: "These cowards will meet justice, as will their
accomplices and patrons, wherever they are."
At least 18 foreigners are among the dead. They include
six Britons as well as citizens from France, Canada, the
Netherlands, Australia, Peru, India, Ghana, South Africa
and China.
About 175 people were wounded including 62 who
remain in hospital.
Somali Islamist group al-Shabab said it had carried out
the attack in retaliation for Kenyan army operations in
Somalia.
The militants stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday,
throwing grenades and firing indiscriminately on
shoppers and staff.
"Now it is for the forensic and criminal experts," said
police spokesman Masoud Mwinyi.
A Twitter post from al-Shabab on Tuesday dismissed
claims that women were involved in the attack.
The group said: "We have an adequate number of young
men who are fully committed and we do not employ our
sisters in such military operations."
Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, has repeatedly
threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull
its troops out of Somalia.
There are about 4,000 Kenyan troops in the south of
Somalia as part of an African Union force supporting
Somali government forces.
Al-Shabab is fighting to create an Islamic state in
Somalia.
Despite being pushed out of key cities in the past two
years, it remains in control of smaller towns and large
swathes of the countryside.
UN special representative for Somalia Nicholas Kay called
on Tuesday for a fresh surge in African troops to Somalia
to counter an estimated 5,000 al-Shabab fighters.