The death toll from Saturday's terror attack on a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya today afternoon rose to 59 while 175 were confirmed injured, according to the Government, as the attackers continued holding hostages for the second day.
It was not immediately clear how many foreigners were killed but it was known several foreign nationals were caught up in the incident as the mall is a favorite of wealth local and foreign nationals including employees of international organizations in Nairobi.
Cabinet Secretary in charge of National Security Jospeh Ole Lenku confirmed the figures at a press conference in Nairobi, near the scene of the attack. He said the operation to rescue hostages still held in the building by the attackers estimated at between 10-15 was still going.
Kenyan leaders from different sides of the political divide came together in a rare show of unity, first visiting the injured at the Aga Khan and MP Shah Hospitals before addressing a joint press conference at State House shortly after 4 pm local time, where they called for calm and support for the security operation to flush out the attackers.
President Kenyatta also revealed that he had also lost a nephew and a fiancee in the attack. He said Kenya would not pull out its soldiers from Somalia over the attack which has been claimed by Al Shabaab which said they were revenging Kenya's presence in Somalia.
"We have received many offers of assistance from friendly countries but this for the moment remains a Kenyan operation," he said in apparent reference to reports in Nairobi tat foreign troops including the Israelis, were helping the Kenyan security team to deal with the situation.
Former PM Odinga called on Kenyans to remain united in the face of the attack and amid claims that the attackers had before the shooting urged Muslims within the mall to move out quickly.
" We should not allow the attack to divide us along religious or any other lines as terrorist attacks are universal and have occurred elsewhere including Israel, Iraq, the US, Britain and Spain among others," said the former PM.
He urged the international community not to issue travel advisories saying this will hurt the country's economy. President Kenyatta and UDF leader Musalia Mudavadi also echoed the same sentiments during the press conference.
Messages of solidarity with Kenya were sent by the Eastern Africa regional body Inter Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD), US, Somalia,China, South Sudan, and UK, who condemned the terror attack.
The Saturday attack came 16 years after the 1998 Bomb attack in Nairobi which destroyed the US Embassy and left more than 200 people dead and hundreds others injured.
The scene of the attack remained under tight security from different units of the Kenyan security with both army and police helicopters flying overhead most of the day. Police shot in the air and lobbed tear gas at a crowd that was surging towards the area despite repeated pleas since yesterday to keep off.
Journalists were kept more than 600 meters away from where they monitored events. Other establishments including other shopping malls, churches and other public places frequented by many people were secured by the police throughout yesterday.
Hundreds of Kenyans and even non Kenyans turned out to in large numbers to donate blood at different hospitals in Nairobi and upcountry. Kencom Bus Stage in Nairobi had a big number of blood donors.
Nairobi City Government also set up another centre at City Hall to provide opportunity for more Kenyans to donate blood.
A call for cash donations through the M-Pesa phone facility by Safaricom had by last evening raked in donations of about USD 95,000 and more was still coming in.
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| Kenyans donate blood at Kencom Bus Stage in Nairobi |
Cabinet Secretary in charge of National Security Jospeh Ole Lenku confirmed the figures at a press conference in Nairobi, near the scene of the attack. He said the operation to rescue hostages still held in the building by the attackers estimated at between 10-15 was still going.
Kenyan leaders from different sides of the political divide came together in a rare show of unity, first visiting the injured at the Aga Khan and MP Shah Hospitals before addressing a joint press conference at State House shortly after 4 pm local time, where they called for calm and support for the security operation to flush out the attackers.
President Kenyatta also revealed that he had also lost a nephew and a fiancee in the attack. He said Kenya would not pull out its soldiers from Somalia over the attack which has been claimed by Al Shabaab which said they were revenging Kenya's presence in Somalia.
"We have received many offers of assistance from friendly countries but this for the moment remains a Kenyan operation," he said in apparent reference to reports in Nairobi tat foreign troops including the Israelis, were helping the Kenyan security team to deal with the situation.
Former PM Odinga called on Kenyans to remain united in the face of the attack and amid claims that the attackers had before the shooting urged Muslims within the mall to move out quickly.
" We should not allow the attack to divide us along religious or any other lines as terrorist attacks are universal and have occurred elsewhere including Israel, Iraq, the US, Britain and Spain among others," said the former PM.
He urged the international community not to issue travel advisories saying this will hurt the country's economy. President Kenyatta and UDF leader Musalia Mudavadi also echoed the same sentiments during the press conference.
Messages of solidarity with Kenya were sent by the Eastern Africa regional body Inter Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD), US, Somalia,China, South Sudan, and UK, who condemned the terror attack.
The Saturday attack came 16 years after the 1998 Bomb attack in Nairobi which destroyed the US Embassy and left more than 200 people dead and hundreds others injured.
The scene of the attack remained under tight security from different units of the Kenyan security with both army and police helicopters flying overhead most of the day. Police shot in the air and lobbed tear gas at a crowd that was surging towards the area despite repeated pleas since yesterday to keep off.
Journalists were kept more than 600 meters away from where they monitored events. Other establishments including other shopping malls, churches and other public places frequented by many people were secured by the police throughout yesterday.
Hundreds of Kenyans and even non Kenyans turned out to in large numbers to donate blood at different hospitals in Nairobi and upcountry. Kencom Bus Stage in Nairobi had a big number of blood donors.
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| Red Cross officers manage a blood donation centre in Nairobi |
Nairobi City Government also set up another centre at City Hall to provide opportunity for more Kenyans to donate blood.
A call for cash donations through the M-Pesa phone facility by Safaricom had by last evening raked in donations of about USD 95,000 and more was still coming in.
Ends//
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