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Assault to end mall siege

A "MAJOR" assault by security forces was under way last night to end the two-day hostage crisis at a Nairobi mall in which 68 people have died.

"This will end tonight. Our forces will prevail," Kenya's Disaster Operation Centre said.

Word of the Kenyan assault came shortly after a large blast echoed from the mall, around the start of the operation.

Three British nationals are among the dead and prime minister David Cameron yesterday warned the country to be ready for "more bad news".

Britain had offered Kenya assistance, including intelligence cooperation, in response to the attack by Islamic extremists in the upmarket shopping centre.

Somali-based militant group alShabaab claimed responsibility for the atrocity, which Mr Cameron described as an "absolutely sickening and despicable act of appalling brutality".

The Kenya Defence Forces said on Twitter yesterday: "Most of the hostages have been rescued and security forces have taken control of most parts of the building... all efforts are under way to bring this matter to a speedy conclusion."

Four personnel were also injured in the operation to retake the mall and were taken to hospital for treatment.

Earlier, the prime minister said he had offered the Kenyan authorities "every assistance" in a call to president Uhuru Kenyatta, who lost members of his own family in the attack.

The prime minister was at pains to stress that the perpetrators did not represent the majority of Muslims.

"These appalling terrorist attacks that take place, where the perpetrators claim they do it in the name of a religion, they don't," he said.

"They do it in the name of terror, violence and extremism and their warped view of the world. They don't represent Islam or Muslims in Britain or anywhere else."

An al-Shaabab spokesman told Channel 4 News that westerners would not be safe in Kenya until the country pulled its forces out of Somalia.

"Kenyans have blood on their hands," he said.

"Anyone who is prepared to come to Kenya must be prepared to face the reality and we don't fear Europeans and Americans because we are not weak. And we are saying to the Europeans and the Americans who have been supporting those who have been attacking us, you should tell the Kenyans to stop their aggression if you want to be safe."

President Kenyatta's nephew and his fiancee were among those killed in the siege it was revealed yesterday.

"These are young lovely people I personally knew and loved," the president said, promising retribution against the terrorists.

"They shall not get away with their despicable and beastly acts.

"Like the cowardly perpetrators now cornered in the building, we will punish the masterminds swiftly and indeed very painfully.

"I call on Kenyans to stand courageous and united. Let us not sacrifice our values and dignity to appease cowards.

"Our victory must be conclusive - let us defeat them with our unity."

'OUR FORCES WILL PREVAIL': Kenya security personnel take their positions

outside the shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya yesterday PICTURE:Sayyid Azim/AP