8 Arrested Over Kenya Mall Attack
Four large blasts rocked Nairobi's Westgate Mall, sending large plumes of smoke over the city's suburbs as Kenyan military forces sought to rescue an unknown number of hostages held by al-Qaida-linked militants. The explosions were followed by volleys of gunfire, then a thick, dark column of smoke. Military and police helicopters and one plane circled over the Nairobi mall, giving the affluent Westlands neighborhood the feel of a war zone.Picture: AP Photo/ Jerome Delay
During a news briefing on Friday, Kenya’s interior minister, Joseph Ole Lenku said, “Police are holding eight suspects as they seek to unmask the face behind the terror attack. Three others were interrogated and released.”
The Minister also told reporters that there were no formal reports of people still missing since the assault. The Kenyan Red Cross, however, said earlier that dozens were still missing.
Investigators trying to determine the identity of the attackers were making “good progress” in their search through the rubble at the Westgate mall where three floors collapsed after a series of blasts and a huge blaze, Joseph Ole Lenku further noted.
In addition, officials previously said five assailants were among the deceased.
According to the senior security sources, the militants who led the attack may have hired a shop in the mall in the weeks prior to the siege.
Al-Shabab officials have claimed responsibility for the assault and warned the Kenyan government to withdraw its troops from their country.
Kenya has more than 4,000 army soldiers in southern Somalia, where they have been battling the al-Shabab fighters since 2011.
Additional Reporting By Agencies
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