Kenya: Westgate Mall attack

Witness History

BBC

History, Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 24 September 2021

⏱️ 10 minutes

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Summary

Gunmen from the Somali Islamist group Al-Shabab attacked a shopping centre in Nairobi taking hundreds hostage. The group claimed it was in retaliation for Kenyan military action against them in southern Somalia. The siege lasted four days in September 2013 and more than 60 people were killed, but hundreds more were injured and traumatised. Daniel Ouma was a paramedic on duty at the scene and explains to Rebecca Kesby how his team tried to help people affected.

PHOTO: A police officer during a rescue operation at the site of the terrorist attack, Westgate Mall, on September 21, 2013 in Nairobi, Kenya. Gunmen from the extremist group Al-Shabab entered the mall and opened fire at random on shoppers; 68 deaths have been confirmed. (Photo by Jeff Angote/Nation Media/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:29.2	Hello and we head to East Africa in September 2013 when a small number of gunman attacked a large shopping
0:47.0	wall in Nairobi, Kenya. The ensuing siege continued for four days. By the end, well over 60 people were killed and hundreds
0:55.9	injured. I've been reviewing eyewitness reports from the time and speaking to a
1:00.9	paramedic who was there.
1:10.0	Many dead and injured after gunman opened fire in a shopping mall in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. I've seen a lot of people with gone shot we I'm actually seeing in a room with a couple of
1:15.8	young girls who were in the severe state of shot.
1:18.1	We've been asked to lie down now.
1:20.1	I've got to lie down.
1:21.1	The security guard was just lying next to where I was shot in the head.
1:25.0	He died instantly.
1:27.0	Kenya had been targeted before in major terror attacks,
1:32.0	but when at least four gun strolled into the busy Westgate
1:35.8	shopping mall on September the 21st, 2013, it was civilians, ordinary shoppers that were the victims. It was a
1:44.0	a normal Saturday lunchtime. The Westgate shopping mall behind me was packed
	...

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