Mumbai troops continue to clash with gunmen over hostages
Commandos storm Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai
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Friday, 28, Nov 2008 07:42
Gunfire and a series of explosions have been heard at Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace hotel as Indian troops continue to clash with gunmen thought to be holding a number of people hostage.
Elsewhere, commandos stormed a Jewish centre in an attempt to free hostages, with troops abseiling into the building from helicopters.
Reports suggest that security forces are still clearing the two Mumbai hotels – Taj Mahal Palace and Oberoi Trident – of the gunmen responsible for Wednesday's attacks which left over 130 people dead and some 370 injured.
The Indian navy has also reportedly taken control of two Pakistani merchant navy ships and is currently questioning the crews after reports suggest that some of the militants came shore in Mumbai by speed boats.
The gunmen are thought to have struck seven separate sites late on Wednesday in an apparent attack which witnesses claimed targeted British and American nationals.
On Thursday the Foreign Office confirmed there had been at least one British victim from the attacks. He has been named by the Indian city's St George's hospital as yachting millionaire Andreas Liveras.
A previously unknown Islamic extremist group calling itself Deccan Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Troops are continuing to make safe the Taj Mahal Palace today with one commando describing the gunmen as "very determined" and "remorseless".
"These people are very familiar with the hotel layout and it appears they had carried out a survey before," Sky News quotes a commando saying.
"We were told there only there of four terrorists when we entered the hotel but gunfire and grenades were being dropped from different places so probably they were going from one place to another."
Ninety-three guests, including 20 Air France crew members, were freed at the Oberoi-Trident hotel earlier today.
Reports quote local police as claiming that 30 bodies have been found inside the hotel.
Wednesday's attacks have attracted international condemnation with British prime minister Gordon Brown describing them as "outrageous".
The Foreign Office has issued an emergency number for those concerned about relatives in Mumbai: 0207 008 0000.