Village Market closed over security concerns following Dusit attack

Village Market shut down its operations on Tuesday afternoon following a terror attack at the Dusit2 Hotel in 14 Riverside Drive, Nairobi.

The upmarket shopping and recreational complex said it took the step as a safety precaution.

"Please note, Village market is temporarily closed as a security precaution; a standard protocol. We pray for the safety of all those affected by the situation at 14 Riverside and for the first responders and security services on site," the management said.

The attack at Dusit started at around 3 pm.

IG Joseph Boinnet said the number of the injured people in the suspected terror attack was yet to be confirmed.

"A group of unknown armed assailants attacked the Dusit complex in what we suspect could be a terror attack," he said.

The Al Shabaab terror group, however, had earlier told the Al Jazeera that they were responsible for the attack.

"We are currently conducting an operation in Nairobi," a spokesperson of the militia group said.

Boinnet said security officers and the first responders managed to evacuate many people and that the operation was ongoing to normalise the situation.

"We wish to offer our prayers to those who were affected and we wish a quick recovery to those who were injured," he said.

Boinnet asked Kenyans to remain calm.

"We are aware that there still could be some armed criminals still holed up in the building and our special forces are engaged in that operation to flush them out," he said.

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