Americans have been confirmed as participants in the terrorist attack at Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi according to Kenyan government officials, ABC News reported.
Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed said "two or three Americans" were among the Al Shabaab attackers, in addition to a British woman that authorities previously dismissed as a man dressed in women's clothing.
Mohamed is the first official to publicly claim that U.S. citizens were involved in the attack. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said they would not verify claims until an investigation was performed and some Kenyan officials denied the allegation entirely.
Officials told ABC that the FBI is preparing to send a group of agents to Nairobi to investigate the Westgate Mall attack. The team will be led by the New York field office, which handles crimes against Americans that occur in Africa. Shortly after the assault began on Saturday, the FBI notified the Kenyan government that they would provide assistance.
Although the standoff between remaining attackers and law enforcement officials continues, Kenyan authorities said they are in "full control" of the situation.
"The West Gate Mall is under the full control of gov't forces and we are carrying out a sweep to ensure its safe for everyone," Kenyan police tweeted on Tuesday.
ABC reported hearing gunfire and explosions coming from the mall on Tuesday, just one day after Kenyan authorities killed three suspected attackers and detained at least 10 others. According to local police, the reported explosions happened after "doing clean-up of explosives that had been set up by the terrorists."
Kenya's Ministry of the Interior sent a tweet out warning residents to stay away from the mall area.
"Westgate remains a crime scene, keep off the area. Roads leading to this mall have been cordoned off," the tweet read.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is scheduled to deliver an address to the country to update citizens on the mall's situation.
