Security officers in Nairobi were on Tuesday afternoon battling armed assailants who staged an attack at 14 Riverside Drive in Dusit Complex, Westlands area in Nairobi.
Addressing journalists amid the attack, Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said, that attackers are still holed up in unidentified room in the complex. According to police boss, the criminals are heavily armed.
“We are aware that there still could be some armed criminals still holed up in the building and our special forces are engaged in an operation to flush them out.” Boinnet said.
Boinnet further urged Kenyans to remain calm and offer support to police officers as they work to neutralize the attackers. However, according to Boinnet, they are yet to confirm the exact number of injured persons but several have been evacuated.
What began as a loud bang resembling a grenade explosion followed by heavy gunfire is yet to be controlled, hours later. So far, details regarding the number of attackers have remained scanty as the operation is still ongoing.
According to unconfirmed sources, one of the attackers walked into the hotel and shot self before other attackers disembarked from two vehicles and started spraying bullets to guests and staffs who were running for their lives.
Besides the armed forces drawn from elite squad, the Red Cross and other emergency response bodies are also on the ground providing rescue services to the victims.
Those injured are admitted in various hospitals including Kenyatta National Hospital in the country’s capital, where now doctors are calling for blood donation.
The operation is led by top security and criminal agencies including Director of Criminal Investigation, George Kinoti. The area has since been cordoned off.
