Monday, September 23, 2013
The Somali government has condemned an ongoing attack on a shopping mall in the Kenyan capital and pledged to continue their collaboration with Kenya.
The Somali government has condemned an ongoing terrorist attack on a
shopping mall in the Kenyan capital Nairobi and pledged to continue
their collaboration with Kenya in fighting the Al-Shabaab militants.
"My government condemns this act of terrorism and we send condolences
to the Kenyan people as Al-Shabaab is a common enemy," Somali
Ambassador to Kenya Mohammed Ali Nur told the local TV station NTV
He pledged that his government will continue to pursue the Al-Shabaab with the support of Kenya and other countries.
"They are on the run and we shall continue pursuing them," Nur said.
Kenyan Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Lenku confirmed
Sunday that 59 people have been killed and 175 injured so far in an
ongoing hostage-taking saga in a Nairobi mall.
He said the ongoing security operation is a multi-agency operation,
noting that hundreds of security personnel from different units were
still surrounding the mall.
He confirmed that more people and the attackers are still inside the building.
Heavily-armed attackers entered the Westgate Mall, not far from the Central Business District, shortly before noon local time.
They shot at guards manning a car park before storming the building
both through the main entrance and an underground opening, according to
witnesses.
The attackers were still holed up inside the building by mid-day
Sunday, with a number of shoppers still believed to be held hostage or
trapped inside.
The troops had secured two floors of the vast shopping mall, forcing
the attackers to move to the roof top from where they continued to open
sporadic fire.
Al-Shabab militant group in Somalia has claimed responsibility for
the attack, describing it as a reaction to Kenyan military intervention
in Somalia.
Common Enemy
The Somali ambassador said at the time of the Nairobi attack, there
was another terrorist attack at a market in the Somali capital
Mogadishu, which left six people dead and more 10 others injured.
"These people have no respect for religion and human life," he maintained.
"They are just terrorist groups. But they are now divided and are on the run and are busy killing themselves."
Emphasizing that the Al-Shabaab was not a Somali problem, Ambassador
Nur urged Kenya to stand firm and not withdraw from Somalia despite
being target because they sent soldiers to help his government deal with
the militia group and still had soldiers stationed there.
The South Sudan Embassy in Nairobi has issued a statement saying
President Salva Kirr Mayadit has sent a condolence message to Kenya over
the attack.
The Indian High Commission has also sent a message of support to
Kenya and indicated they would help with visas for those who intend to
seek treatment in India for injuries sustained from the attack.
The US has issued a statement saying it stands with Kenya in
solidarity and will extend any assistance possible to deal with the
attackers.
The attack comes 16 years after terrorists targeted the US Embassy in
Nairobi, killing over 200 and leaving hundreds of others injured.