Hotel complex, offices hit by blast, gunfire
- Gunmen, security forces exchange heavy gunfire
- Somali Islamists Shabaab claims responsibility
A huge blast followed by a gun battle rocked an upmarket hotel and office complex in Nairobi yesterday, causing casualties, in an attack claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab Islamist group.
The explosion at the DusitD2 compound, which includes a 101-room hotel, restaurant and several office buildings housing local and international companies, was heard from AFP's bureau some five kilometres (three miles) away.
The Shabaab, which carried out a notorious assault on a Nairobi shopping mall in 2013, claimed responsibility, according to the SITE Intelligence Group which monitors jihadist activities.
AFP reporters at the scene saw wounded people being evacuated but said the full casualty toll was unknown. Occasional shots were being heard nearly four hours after the blast.
Simon Crump, who works in the complex, said terrified workers barricaded themselves inside their offices after "several" explosions.
"We have no idea what is happening. Gunshots are coming from multiple directions," he told AFP.
He later said that police had begun evacuating people from the office buildings. A reporter at the scene said gunmen and security forces exchanged heavy gunfire.
"We are aware that there are armed criminals still holed up and our officers are trying to flush them out," said Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet.
John Maingi said there had been "a flash of lights and a loud bang" at the Secret Garden restaurant where he works.
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