DHAKA: A gun battle inside a shopping centre in the Kenyan capital Nairobi has left at least four people dead.

Armed police are exchanging fire with gunmen at the Westgate centre in the Westlands district, one of the city’s most exclusive shopping malls.

One witness said the attackers threw grenades into the building at about midday local time (09:00 GMT), report the BBC.

Dozens of shoppers fled the building.

At least four people are wounded. A number of others are trapped inside.

Nairobi police chief Benson Kibue told media that the gunmen were trying to rob a shop within the mall when the shooting began.

Police arrived about a half an hour after about five armed assailants stormed the building, eyewitnesses say.

Dutch embassy employee Rob Vandijk told media that he had been eating at a restaurant in the centre when gunmen threw hand grenades inside the building.

He said machine-gun fire then rang out, and people dropped to the ground.

Cars were left abandoned outside the building after the attack began.

Armed police took cover behind vehicles outside.

‘We have officers at the scene trying to get out the group shooting inside,’ a police official told media.

‘Officers are approaching the situation with caution because there are innocent civilians inside,’ he said.

BDST: 1803 HRS, SEPT 21, 2013
RoR/Jck