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Kenya's security forces are moving in an apparently final assault to end the day-3 hostage crisis at Nairobi's renowned Westgate shopping mall.
Officials in their latest reports about the mall siege said they have rescued almost all hostages and controlled nearly all the complex in Monday's operation. They also claimed to have killed two of the 10 to 15 terrorists of Somalia-based Al-Shabaab.
Thick, black smoke is still billowing from the mall building hours after explosions and heavy gunfire were heard in an operation to free hostages.
The Kenyan Interior Ministry said 62 people have been confirmed dead and 175 others have been injured since the Al-Qaida linked militants stormed into the shopping mall on Saturday.
Kenyan police said they have managed to rescue some of the hostages.
Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said the security forces were trying to gain access from the rooftop of the Westgate shaping mall.
"Thumbs up to our multi-agency team, we have just managed to rescue some hostages. We are increasingly gaining advantage of the attackers," Kimaiyo said via his Twitter account.
"As we intensify our operations, we urge the public, to stay away from Westgate and its environs for their own safety," he added, as ambulances were seen rushing to the mall.
Kenyan security forces are stepping up their onslaught against the Al-Shabaab gunmen to end the crisis.
The final onslaught comes as Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) said at least 69 people have been killed and 63 others remain unaccounted for as of 11:20 a.m. local time on Monday.
Those missing are believed to have been held hostage by the gunmen.
The insurgents from Somalia have claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was revenge for Kenyan soldiers who launched a cross-border incursion in October 2011 into southern Somalia.
On an earlier occasion, Cabinet Secretary in charge of Internal Security Joseph Ole Lenku said the gallant multi-agency security forces who continued their operations overnight had rescued a number of hostages from the mall.
"They have rescued a few more civilians held inside the mall, but a few still remain. We are unable to give precise figures at this stage," Lenku said.
"But we can confirm that our disciplined forces are up to the task and have been extremely careful to find the balance between neutralizing the attackers and getting as many people to safety as possible."
The cabinet secretary was critical of some NGOs of giving a higher death toll, which he said, is incorrect owing to the possibility of double-counting.
"Some of the dead have already been released to their families for burial. We will in due course provide the number of foreigners killed in the attack," Lenku said.
To ensure the on-going security operation is concluded speedily, the interior cabinet secretary warned Kenyans against providing false information which would divert security agents from the core task of bringing the siege to an end.
Lenku assured Kenyans that security at all entry and departure points, including airports and the seaport, in the country has been significantly raised. "We urge all Kenyans and people of goodwill to remain calm and vigilant. We thank all Kenyans for their support during this difficult time," he added.
More than 30 hours after the Al-Shabaab terrorists stormed Nairobi's Westgate mall and fired at civilians, military authorities say the siege is close to an end.
Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) spokesman Col. Cyrus Oguna told Xinhua that they had been able to rescue most of the people from the shopping, noting that no more than 10 hostages were left in the building.
Hour on hour, casualties of the Nairobi mall attack have been pouring into hospital as the Kenyan police are battling Al-Shabaab terrorists who carried out the weekend's carnage.
