Most hostages in Nairobi mall attack rescued

Most of the people caught up in the attack on Westgate shopping mall in Westlands neighborhood in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, have been rescued, defense officials have told the (BBC). Col Cyrus Oguna told the BBC that only a small number remained under the control of the militants, who are thought to be from Somalia's al-Shabab movement. Some of those rescued are dehydrated, said Col Oguna. At least 68 people have been killed. Col Oguna expressed hope that the operation would end very soon. He said that a large part of the building was now under the control of the security forces. In total about 175 people have been injured, including four soldiers who were taken to hospital. The Somali militant group al-Shabab says it carried out the attack in response to Kenyan military operations in Somalia. There are about 4,000 Kenyan troops in the south of Somalia, where they have been fighting the militants since 2011.