Kenyan forces outsite the Nairobi mall
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to use his good offices to ensure safety of Indian victims in the Nairobi terror attack, which has left 69 people dead so far.
In a letter to the PM, Mr Modi said, "I stressfully urge that the central government should use all the resources available to it to provide safety and security to families of those Indians and Gujaratis who are victims of the terror attack."
"Among those killed and injured in the terror attack, Indians are also victims and have lost lives and some of them are also injured. This inhuman act has put many Indian origin families in insecure position and they expect help from Indian government immediately," Mr Modi said.
"When we have been target of such terror attacks, we can understand the pain and suffering of innocent people. It is time to bring together humanitarian forces to fight the war against terrorism," he said.
Reports received in Gujarat say that at least five people having their origin in the state have been killed and some others are injured in the Nairobi mall terror attack.
"I would like to draw your attention to the fact that large number of Indians and mostly Gujaratis have settled in Kenya," he said in the letter.
The BJP prime ministerial candidate had yesterday spoken to India's High Commissioner to Kenya and had urged him to help victims of the brazen attack.
Heavy gunfire and loud explosions erupted at Nairobi's Westgate shopping mall today as Kenyan troops fought Al Qaeda-linked gunmen who were holding hostages after massacring at least 69 people including two Indians yesterday.
The Red Cross said at least 63 people were recorded missing, thought to include hostages as well as those possibly killed or still hiding in the 48-hour-long siege.