Hostages alive in Kenya mall, militants claim
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The militant group that attacked a Nairobi mall and killed at least 60 people says it is still holding hostages alive inside and that its fighters are "still holding their ground".
The Twitter messages posted Tuesday by the alQaeda-linked rebel group al Shabab came after Kenyan government assurances of success in the fourth day of the standoff.
AlShabab says the hostages “are still alive, looking quite disconcerted but, nevertheless, alive”.
A security expert with contacts inside said on Monday night there were at least 30 hostages when the assault began Saturday and at least 10 were believed to be still inside the upscale mall. Officials did not give a figure, saying only that “most” hostages had been released.
Sporadic gunfire could be heard from the building yesterday as government forces pressed on inside.
At least 62 shoppers and staff have been killed and close to 200 wounded in the siege, and fears are high the toll may yet rise.
Judges at the Haguebased ICC on Monday adjourned for a week Kenyan Vice President William Ruto’s crimes against humanity trial for violence following a disputed 2007 election so he could deal with the hostage crisis.
The ICC is the world’s only independent, permanent tribunal for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.
