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At least 59 people have been killed and another 175 others wounded at an upscale mall in Kenya’s capital Nairobi where soldiers have surrounded an estimated 10 to 15 al-Shabab attackers who are holding an unknown number of civilians hostage.

Multiplebarrages of gunfire erupted on Sunday from inside the building, nearly 24 hours after the armed men stormed the Westgate shopping centre using grenades and assault rifles.

“The priority is to save as many lives as possible,” Joseph Lenku, Kenya’s interior cabinet secretary said, reassuring the families of the hostages in the complex. 

Kenyan forces have already rescued about 1,000 people, he said.

It is not known how many civilians remain trapped inside the shopping complex - either as hostages or hiding from the attackers.

Al-Shabab told Al Jazeera it carried out Saturday’s deadly attack in which they specifically targeted non-Muslims.

Kenyans and foreigners were among those confirmed dead, including French, Britons, Canadians and Chinese.

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