Nairobi - Kenya's military authorities confirmed early on Monday that a siege to rescue hostages still held in the Westgate mall after terrorist attacks on Saturday may come to an end soon, as the death toll rose to 68.

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesman Col. Cyrus Oguna said they have been able to rescue most of the people from the shopping mall, noting that no more than 10 hostages are left in the building.

"Most of the hostages have been released and KDF has taken control of most parts of the building. We believe there are no more than 10 hostages remaining inside the building," Oguna said on Monday morning.

Heavy gunfire could be heard from inside the shopping mall early on Monday where the terrorists are still holding a few hostages. It was difficult to ascertain what was going on as the area has been sealed off by the security forces conducting the operation.

Oguna said four Kenyan soldiers were rushed to the hospital for treatment after sustaining minor injuries as they tried to secure hostages during the operation.

"Our four KDF soldiers sustained minor injuries during the rescue operation but we have confined the gunmen to one location. Most of them were dehydrated and suffering from shock. We are looking for a speedy conclusion of the operation," he added.

So far, one South African, two French nationals, two Canadians, three Britons, one Chinese and one Ghanaian are among the victims of the attack. Nine more bodies were removed from the mall on Sunday night.

The intensive operation came as militants warned via Twitter feed that the security forces' attempt to roof land will complicate the lives of the hostages.

"Kenyan forces who have just attempted a roof landing must know that they are jeopardizing the lives of hostages," the militants said as they rule out negotiations over hostages being held by the terrorists.

Meanwhile, world and regional leaders have come out strongly to support Kenya following the terrorist attack in Nairobi.

Regional leaders -- President Jacob Zuma, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, Salva Kiir of South Sudan and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia voiced their solidarity with Kenya.

Zuma said South Africa continues to support Kenya's and the international community's efforts aimed at peacekeeping, stability, democracy and nation-building in Somalia.

"Terrorism in any form and from whichever quarter, cannot be condoned and South Africa stands firmly with the international community in condemning all terrorism, and this act in particular. We wish the Kenyan Government every success in rapidly resolving this issue with as little further loss of life as possible,” said President Zuma.

U.S. President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Israeli President Shimon Peres and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have condemned the terror attack and offered to provide any assistance that Kenya required.

A statement from President Uhuru Kenyatta's office said the leaders assured that they will continue backing the government and the people of Kenya in their efforts to defeat terrorism in all its manifestation.

The ambassador, speaking on behalf of all African envoys accredited to Kenya, expressed hope that the perpetrators of the heinous act will be made to pay for their crime.

"We thank especially our neighbours from the East African region for firmly standing with us during this difficult time," President Kenyatta said.

He assured that the government is working round the clock to ensure the situation is addressed conclusively. – SAnews.gov.za-Xinhua

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Guarani Indians have carried out a courageous ‘retomada’ (re-occupation) of the sugar cane plantation that has taken over their ancestral land. The group is led by a female chief who has seen her husband and three of her children die on the roadside where they have lived for ten years.

Their roadside camp was mysteriously destroyed in a fire last month and gunmen threatened to kill them. The same camp was torched by gunmen in 2009.

In a statement released on Monday, Damiana Cavanha, the leader of the Apy Ka’y community, said, ’We decided to reoccupy part of our traditional land where there is a well of good water and a bit of remaining forest.

‘We decided to return to the land where three of our children, who were run over and torn apart by vehicles belonging to the ranches, are buried; where two leaders who were assassinated by gunmen employed by the ranchers, and where a 70 year old shaman who died from inhaling pesticides sprayed from a crop-spraying plane, are also buried.’

This is the fourth time the Apy Ka’y community has re-occupied its ‘tekoha’ (ancestral land) in Brazil’s Mato Grosso do Sul state since ranchers moved in almost 15 years ago. Every time the Guarani returned, the ranchers evicted them by force and the community has been living by the side of the road in squalid and perilous conditions for the last ten years.

The Apy Ka’y Guarani are now at great risk. They have already received three death threats and say that an attempt was made to poison their water supply after the re-occupation on Sunday.

The ranch that has taken over their land is now employing a notorious security firm to intimidate the Indians. Public Prosecutors in Brazil have described the firm, Gaspem, as a ‘private militia’, and called for it to be closed down.

A 2009 report on the community’s treatment for the Public Prosecutor’s office concluded, ‘it is no exaggeration to talk of genocide.’

Damiana added in the statement, ’Faced with the threat of death, the loss of our relatives and so much suffering and pain, we decided for the fourth time to reoccupy our land, Apy Ka’y, on 15 September 2013.

‘We have decided to fight and die for our land.’

The situation of the Apy Ka’y is not unusual for the Guarani in Brazil, who are becoming increasingly desperate as they suffer violent attacks at the hands of ranchers occupying their ancestral land.

Disillusioned by the government’s slow progress in demarcating their land, several Guarani communities have carried out retomadas in recent years.

Survival International’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘The government’s failure to restore land to the Guarani is shameful and illegal, and has been catastrophic for the Indians. President Rousseff is clearly in thrall to the agricultural lobby, which is immensely powerful and influential, and seems prepared to simply ignore her obligations under the law. In these circumstances, it isn’t surprising that the Guarani are taking matters into their own hands. They desperately need support, or they are likely to be evicted and attacked yet again.’

source: Survival International