Nairobi attack: Kenya forces 'clearing' Westgate centre

Kenyan security forces say they are attempting to clear the Westgate shopping complex in Nairobi in order to bring to an end the three-day siege.

Explosions and heavy gunfire were reported earlier as soldiers stormed the mall, where suspected al-Shabab militants are thought to be holed up.

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said three "terrorists" had been killed and all escape routes sealed off.

Flames and thick smoke continued to rise from the complex as darkness fell.

'Under control'

The KDF said the fire had been started by "terrorists to distract the ongoing operation", and that the blaze was being managed by firefighters.

The official death toll stands at 62 and more than 170 have been injured. There are fears the death toll will rise further.

The Somali Islamist al-Shabab movement has said it carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan military operations in Somalia.

"The terrorists could be running and hiding in some stores, but all floors now are under our control," Kenyan Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said.

"There is no room for escape."

He told the BBC late on Monday that the operation would continue overnight, but stressed it was in its final stages.

The minister added that "it is very unlikely that there are any hostages" left in the complex.

The BBC's Mike Wooldridge in Nairobi says the number of militants involved in the attack was put at between 10 and 15.

The Kenyan government says almost all the hostages have been evacuated from the Westgate shopping centre - but it is not clear whether any are still in the hands of the militants.

And that may be one of the reasons the authorities say they are still moving cautiously, trying to ensure that there is no further loss of life, our correspondent says.

The KDF said 10 bodies had been retrieved from the building in the last 24 hours. More than 200 civilians have been rescued, 65 of whom remain in hospital.

Eleven KDF soldiers were injured during the operation, it said.

Earlier, police used tear gas to disperse crowds of onlookers gathered close to the Westgate Centre.

The Interior Ministry is issuing regular warnings for people to stay away for their own safety.

Security has also been stepped up at entrance and exit points across the country, with "more than 10 individuals" arrested in relation to the attack, the ministry said.

It did not specify when or where the arrests were made, but media reports from Kenya said the suspects were detained at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.