Blood-Curdling Raw Video Captures First Moments of Islamic Terrorist Massacre in Kenyan Shopping Mall

As the ear-piercing gunshots rattle off, terrified shoppers scurry down store aisles and hide behind displays and shelves.

A few heartrending seconds are filled with what sounds like a mother yelling, "My kids! My kids!" and what sounds like children screaming just after.

(Credit: CCTV via YouTube)

Just a few moments this raw clip captures of the outset of the Kenyan shopping mall massacre Saturday, in which Islamic terrorists killed 68 people and injured 175 others, including many children.

No gunmen or injured people are seen in the clip, which was recorded by a journalist from CCTV Africa, a division of China Central Television launched in Kenya in January 2012, the Daily Mail notes.

Near the end of the clip a man is heard behind a door in the mall speaking on a cell phone and saying, relatively calmly, "They think they are terrorists."

(Credit: CCTV via YouTube)

Here's the clip:

Kenyan's military said late Sunday it had rescued "most" of the remaining hostages held by al-Qaida-linked militants after launching a major operation to end a two-day standoff.

The assault, which began shortly before sundown, came as two helicopters circled the mall, with one skimming very close to the roof. A loud explosion rang out, far larger than any previous grenade blast or gunfire volley.

Kenyan police said on Twitter that a "MAJOR" assault by had started to end the bloody siege.

"This will end tonight. Our forces will prevail. Kenyans are standing firm against aggression, and we will win," Kenya's National Disaster Operation Centre said on Twitter.

Kenya Defence Forces later said it had rescued most hostages and had taken control of most of the mall. Officials did not immediately release the number of hostages rescued or the number that remained. Four Kenyan military personnel were wounded in the operation, the military said.

The assault came about 30 hours after 10 to 15 al-Shabab extremists stormed the mall Saturday from two sides, throwing grenades and firing on civilians.

Somalia's al-Qaida-linked rebel group, al-Shabab, claimed responsibility for the attack that specifically targeted non-Muslims. The attackers included some women. The Islamic extremist rebels said the attack was retribution for Kenyan forces' 2011 push into neighboring Somalia.

Al-Shabab said on its new Twitter feed — after its previous one was shut down Saturday — that Kenyan officials were asking the hostage-takers to negotiate and offering incentives.

"We'll not negotiate with the Kenyan govt as long as its forces are invading our country, so reap the bitter fruits of your harvest," al-Shabab said in a tweet.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta reiterated his government's determination to continue fighting al-Shabab.

"We went as a nation into Somalia to help stabilize the country and most importantly to fight terror that had been unleashed on Kenya and the world," said Kenyatta. "We shall not relent on the war on terror."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

(H/T: Daily Mail)

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