Officials say a troop counter-strike will end the siege "tonight" as Kenya's Red Cross reveals nine more bodies have been found.
SKY NEWS 8:04pm UK, Sunday 22 September 2013
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A major assault is ongoing against Al Shabaab gunmen in an attempt to end a siege in a shopping centre in Nairobi, Kenyan officials have said.
Up to 15 terrorists remain inside the centre, holding an unknown number of hostages. At least 49 people are still missing.
As Kenyan officials vowed that the siege would "end tonight", nine more bodies were discovered inside the shopping centre, raising the death toll to 68.
Gunshots and explosions were heard in and around the Westgate shopping centre and soldiers were seen moving into the building.
Helicopters hovered overhead.
Police conceded that the death toll could be "much, much higher", after reports from inside of multiple bodies.
The attack began when gunmen from the Islamist Shabaab group burst into the upmarket mall yesterday afternoon armed with guns and grenades.
Unconfirmed reports suggest women as well as men took part in the attack.
Some of those killed were reportedly executed after failing to recite a Muslim prayer at gunpoint. Others were shot at the entrance to the mall as they tried to escape.
The Kenyan Red Cross estimate at least 200 people have been injured.
The group have set up a webpage for anyone worried friends or relatives might be caught up in incident.
A Foreign Office spokesman said three Britons were among those killed and warned the number is likely to rise.
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