Kenya hotel attack death toll rises to 21

Authorities recovered six more bodies from the scene late Wednesday, according to Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett. That brought the death toll to 21.

Sixteen Kenyans, one Briton, one American and three unidentified people of African origin are among the dead, he said. Twenty-eight others have been hospitalized.

Hundreds were forced to flee the bloodshed at the DusitD2 hotel and business complex on Tuesday.

Somalia-based Islamist group al-Shabab said it was behind the attack, which triggered a 19-hour security operation.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said the siege ended with five jihadist attackers "eliminated".

Mourners have now begun to bury the dead.

In a televised address, President Kenyatta said: "every person that was involved in the funding, planning, and execution of this heinous act" would be "relentlessly" pursued.

More than 700 people were safely evacuated during the attack, he said.

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The attack began at about 15:00 local time (12:00 GMT) on Tuesday. The gunmen threw bombs at vehicles in the car park before entering the lobby, where one blew himself up, police say.

Security camera footage showed at least four heavily armed men walking in and opening fire. There are reports they had been seen visiting the compound in recent days.

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At 23:00, a government official said that all the buildings in the complex had been secured by security forces.

But just an hour later, gunfire and sporadic explosions were reported in the area. There was more heavy gunfire at about 07:00 on Wednesday.

Security forces then combed their way through the building where frightened workers had barricaded themselves inside.

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The five-star DusitD2 hotel has 101 rooms. Located in the Westlands suburb, minutes from the capital's business district, it has its own spa and several restaurants.

When the gunmen first entered there was confusion, as people first tried to escape and then retreated into the building as they came under fire.

By the evening, all but the seventh floor of the complex had been cleared, but some civilians remained there, apparently in close proximity to the surviving attackers.

Somali Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was a response to US President Donald Trump's 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, according to a statement circulated Wednesday.