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| Kenya siege: Nairobi shopping mall searched for bodies | Kenya siege: Nairobi shopping mall searched for bodies |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Kenyan and foreign forensics teams are searching the Westgate shopping complex in Nairobi amid uncertainty over how many bodies they may find following the four-day siege by Islamist militants. | Kenyan and foreign forensics teams are searching the Westgate shopping complex in Nairobi amid uncertainty over how many bodies they may find following the four-day siege by Islamist militants. |
| Sixty-seven people are so far known to have died. | Sixty-seven people are so far known to have died. |
| Kenya's interior minister has said he does not expect the toll to rise significantly, and believes only the bodies of militants will be found. | Kenya's interior minister has said he does not expect the toll to rise significantly, and believes only the bodies of militants will be found. |
| But Kenya's Red Cross has said 61 people remain unaccounted for. | |
| Meanwhile Kenya is continuing three days of official mourning for both the civilian and military victims of the siege. | Meanwhile Kenya is continuing three days of official mourning for both the civilian and military victims of the siege. |
| The funeral of pregnant television and radio star Ruhila Adatia was one of many being held on Thursday. | The funeral of pregnant television and radio star Ruhila Adatia was one of many being held on Thursday. |
| Flags are flying at half past amid visibly tighter security around the Kenyan capital. Security guards were scanning passengers with metal detectors before they boarded buses. | Flags are flying at half past amid visibly tighter security around the Kenyan capital. Security guards were scanning passengers with metal detectors before they boarded buses. |
| Amid rising concern among Kenyans over the authorities' preparedness for such an attack, reports are emerging that the country's counter-terrorism strategy and its disaster response coordination will now be reviewed. | Amid rising concern among Kenyans over the authorities' preparedness for such an attack, reports are emerging that the country's counter-terrorism strategy and its disaster response coordination will now be reviewed. |
| Kenyan investigators have been joined by experts from the US, UK, Germany, Canada and Interpol to comb the sprawling shopping complex for DNA, fingerprints and ballistic clues. | Kenyan investigators have been joined by experts from the US, UK, Germany, Canada and Interpol to comb the sprawling shopping complex for DNA, fingerprints and ballistic clues. |
| "We have moved to the next phase," Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku told a news briefing on Wednesday, saying that he expected the forensic audit to take at least seven days. | "We have moved to the next phase," Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku told a news briefing on Wednesday, saying that he expected the forensic audit to take at least seven days. |
| He confirmed that five militants were dead and said he expected "insignificant numbers of bodies" would be found amid the rubble after three floors of the building collapsed. | He confirmed that five militants were dead and said he expected "insignificant numbers of bodies" would be found amid the rubble after three floors of the building collapsed. |
| But this runs contrary to the Kenyan Red Cross which says that currently 61 people are missing. | |
| The BBC's Bashkas Jugsodaay says that in Uhuru Park, in central Nairobi, many organisations have set up tents for counselling and taking blood donations, including the Red Cross which has a centre for those looking for missing relatives. | |
| Our reporter says he was there for several hours on Thursday, but did not find anyone looking for a missing person. | |
| Most have already registered the names and left phone numbers to be contacted if there is any news, he says. | |
| The Red Cross said its tracing services closed 15 files on Wednesday; six missing persons were found and re-united with families, and nine bodies were positively identified by their close families, it said. | |
| Work is continuing to establish the identities of the deceased militants, including whether one was a woman. | Work is continuing to establish the identities of the deceased militants, including whether one was a woman. |
| But Mr Lenku urged reporters to "allow the forensic experts to determine whether that is true". | But Mr Lenku urged reporters to "allow the forensic experts to determine whether that is true". |
| He said he was unable to confirm whether any Britons or Americans were involved, but said that 10 people were being held in connection with the attack. | He said he was unable to confirm whether any Britons or Americans were involved, but said that 10 people were being held in connection with the attack. |
| Somali Islamist group al-Shabab has said it had carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan army operations in Somalia. | Somali Islamist group al-Shabab has said it had carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan army operations in Somalia. |
| The militants stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday, throwing grenades and firing indiscriminately at shoppers and staff. | The militants stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday, throwing grenades and firing indiscriminately at shoppers and staff. |
| Twitter posts on an al-Shabab account said the group's militants had held 137 people hostage, and claimed the hostages had died after security forces fired chemical agents to end the siege. | Twitter posts on an al-Shabab account said the group's militants had held 137 people hostage, and claimed the hostages had died after security forces fired chemical agents to end the siege. |
| The posts could not be verified. A government spokesman denied any chemical agents were used, and authorities called on Kenyans to ignore militant propaganda. | The posts could not be verified. A government spokesman denied any chemical agents were used, and authorities called on Kenyans to ignore militant propaganda. |
| Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, has repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of Somalia. | Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, has repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of Somalia. |
| About 4,000 Kenyan troops have been serving in the south of Somalia since October 2011 as part of an African Union force supporting Somali government forces. | About 4,000 Kenyan troops have been serving in the south of Somalia since October 2011 as part of an African Union force supporting Somali government forces. |
| Scores of people have been killed in Kenya since the incursion in a string of bomb and grenade attacks blamed on - and some claimed by - al-Shabab. | Scores of people have been killed in Kenya since the incursion in a string of bomb and grenade attacks blamed on - and some claimed by - al-Shabab. |
| The group is banned as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK and is believed to have between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters. | The group is banned as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK and is believed to have between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters. |
| Its members are fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia. | Its members are fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia. |