Gunfire as standoff continues in Kenya mall | The attack by Somalia's al-Qaeda-linked rebel group, al-Shabab, at an upscale mall in Nairobi has killed at least 59 people and wounded 175 others, Kenya's interior cabinet secretary said.

Multiple barrages of gunfire erupted on Sunday morning from inside the building where there is a hostage standoff with the attackers nearly 24 hours after they stormed the Westgate shopping centre using grenades and assault rifles.

"The priority is to save as many lives as possible," Joseph Lenku said, reassuring the families of the hostages in the Westgate complex.

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

Lenku said that there are 10 to 15 attackers involved, and Kenyan forces have control of the security cameras inside the mall.

Combined military and police forces surrounded the building.

Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga told reporters at the mall that he has been told officials could not determine the exact number of hostages inside the mall.

"There are quite a number of people still being held hostage on the third floor and the basement area where the terrorists are still in charge," Odinga said.