Large explosions and black smoke at Kenya mall mass murder site

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Three large explosions were heard at a shopping mall in Kenya's capital early Monday as a hostage standoff which left at least 68 people dead entered its third day.

The blasts occurred shortly after 6 a.m. ET. Black smoke was also seen billowing from the complex. Heavy bursts of gunfire had been heard early Monday.

David Kimaiyo, the inspector general of Kenya’s police, posted on his Twitter account Monday that there had been further rescues overnight and "very few are remaining."

He added: "We are also closing in on the attackers."

Kenya Police's Twitter account also urged the public to stay away from the shopping mall "as we intensify our operations."

The FBI said it was investigating reports that as many as five Americans were among the group of al Qaeda-linked terrorists who raided the Westgate mall in Nairobi on Saturday.

The military-style, lunchtime assault by squads of attackers hurling grenades and spraying automatic fire also resulted in at least 175 injuries, including many children.

A military official said late Sunday that "most" of the hostages had been freed.

Kenyan security forces were being assisted by Israeli and Western experts. "We will not negotiate with terrorists," said Colonel Cyrus Oguna, a Kenyan military spokesman.
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It is not clear who is responsible for the blast at this point, but it would not be unusual for the terrorist to want to go down in flames once they were facing extinction.  However, it is also possible government forces used flash bank munitions and smoke grenades to cover a final assault.  What we do know is the al Qaeda link group committed war crimes in their mass murder of non combatants at this mall.