The bloodbath at an upscale shopping center in Nairobi by the al-Qaida linked terrorist group, al-Shabab, rages on Sunday morning with reports of over 50 killed and several Americans among the almost 200 wounded.

Kenyan officials are reporting that 59 people have been killed, including relatives of the Kenyan president, and 175 wounded, the Associated Press reported Sunday.

According to the newest report from CNN, the Islamic terrorists continue to hold about 30 hostages in the Westgate shopping mall almost a full day after gunmen stormed the mall specifically targeting non-Muslims in retaliation for Kenyan military attacks in Somalia.

Al-Shabab, the al-Qaida linked group based out of Somalia, claimed credit for the incident via Twitter on Saturday, saying they escorted “all Muslims” to safety before the attack.

“The attack at #WestgateMall is just a very tiny fraction of what Muslims in Somalia experience at the hands of Kenyan invaders. #Wetsgate,” the group tweeted about the attack, according to SITE Monitoring Service – a terrorist monitoring group. “For long we have waged war against the Kenyans in our land, now it’s time to shift the battleground and take the war to their land #Westgate“

Kenyan police and military have worked around the clock to isolate the terrorists inside the mall, but it is unknown how many gunmen remain, CNN reported.

Although there are no reports of any Americans among the dead, the U.S. State Department confirmed it “had reports of American citizens injured in the attack,” Fox News reported.

“Violent extremists continue to occupy Westgate Mall. Security services are there in full force,” the United States embassy tweeted Sunday, according to Fox.

CNN reported the following:

It was the deadliest terror attack in the nation since al Qaeda blew up the U.S. Embassy in 1998, killing more than two hundred people.

The attack Saturday targeted a popular weekend meeting spot. Kenyans and expatriates gather at the luxurious Westgate mall on weekends to drink lattes, catch a movie or browse through the more than 80 stores.

Watch CNN report here:

More from CNN here and here.

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Janeen Capizola

"And though she be but little, she is fierce." And fun! This conservative-minded political junkie, mom of three, dancer and one-time NFL cheerleader holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science. [email protected]. Twitter: @JaneenBPR

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