Indian troops have captured the Chabad Narimore house, where Rabbi Holzberg, his wife, and three other hostages have been confirmed dead. Two terrorists were killed, but not before they had killed their hostages as Indian troops stormed the building. One or two of the other terrorists who had taken over the building appear to have escaped. The Oberoi hotel has been secured, but at the Taj hotel fighting continues. The railway station in Mumbai was attacked again in the early morning and Islamic terrorists are still at large in other parts of the city.
Debka – Indian commanders report the five Israeli hostages were killed by the Islamist terrorists in the course of an Indian commando raid which began early Friday, Nov. 28. Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni told a news conference Friday evening that no more information was available because the Indian troops had not finished clearing the building. The names of the victims have not been released. The center’s director, Gavriel Holzman and his wife Rivka are believed to be among the victims. Their two-year son left the building with his Indian nanny Thursday.
The raid to rescue the hostages seized Wednesday began when choppers dropped soldiers on the roof of the Chabad Center which caters to Israeli and Jewish visitors to the city. Later a big hole was blown in an outer wall.
DEBKAfile reports the commando raid was agreed by the Indian and Israeli governments when it appeared that the chances of finding living hostages in the Chabad Center were declining as time went by.
Four Israelis staying at the Oberoi hotel were rescued with more than 100 hostages. The operation there appears to be over. In the rooms the bodies of 24 guests were recovered. The luxury Taj Palace Hotel is still under siege as Indian troops intensify their pressure on the huge building before nightfall. However, on Day 3 of the assault on Mumbai, the terrorists mounted a second attack on city’s main rail station already hit Wednesday. DEBKAfile reports that the fresh attack indicates terrorists remained on the loose outside the primary three hostage locations seized Wednesday. Indian commandoes told the media that the gunmen were obviously well-trained, under 30 and showed no remorse and fired at anybody they saw.
The death toll of the Islamist terrorist assault has risen to 155 with hundreds wounded.
Indian sources identify the terrorists as Pakistani British citizens. The ship which brought them to Mumbai is thought to be an Indian vessel hijacked and sailed to Karachi, Pakistan. French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner is certain they are al Qaeda.
India Times
MUMBAI: The encounter at Nariman House is finally over according to
Fight rages on at Nariman House
NSG commando airdropped from chopper atop Nariman House in Mumbai. (Reuters)
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TV reports.Five hostages and two terrorists have been killed in the latest operation. Nationalities of the hostages have not been released yet.
Five dead bodies have been found, NSG Director General J K Dutt said.
A short while ago, he said, We had taken over the second floor of the house when grenade was launched from above. Three hostages were killed by terrorists before they moved upstairs. NSG commandos then moved upstairs to kill two terrorists on the fourth floor. Terrorists killed two hostages on this floor.
The NSG is searching the building and adjacent areas as well.
A while ago, fresh explosions were heard at Nariman House. A portion of Nariman House was damaged after rocket propelled grenade were launched as part of terrorist flush-out operation. A gaping hole could be seen on the fourth floor in the Jewish residential complex. ( Watch )
Commandos in twos were seen from fourth floor to third floor in the five-storeyed Nariman House complex where some Israelis were been taken hostage by three-four terrorists
Smoke was seen billowing out of Nariman House complex.
Heavy gunfire erupted on Friday after NSG commandos were dropped by helicopter onto the roof of Nariman House in Mumbai, a witness said. ( Watch )
Two to three terrorists are suspected to be holed in Nariman House, said Mumbai police chief Hassan Gafoor. ( Watch )
The airborne assault on the center run by the ultra-orthodox Jewish outreach group Chabad Lubavitch was punctuated by gunshots and explosions as forces cleared it floor by floor, according to reporters at the scene. By Friday afternoon, the commandos had control of the top two floors.
One camouflaged commando came out with a bandage on his forehead, while soldiers fired smoke grenades into the building and a steady stream of gunfire reverberated across narrow alleys.
More than 143 people were killed and 288 injured when terrorists attacked 10 sites in Mumbai starting Wednesday evening.
Security officials said their operations were almost over. “It’s just a matter of a few hours that we’ll be able to wrap up things,” Lt. Gen. N. Thamburaj told reporters on Friday morning. ( Watch )
The witness said troops fired into the Nariman House, apparently to provide cover, as commandos rappelled down ropes from helicopters that made at least three sorties.
Television showed the commandos taking up positions on the roof. The building is in a crowded part of the city, making a frontal assault difficult.
The strike seemed aimed at crippling the financial capital’s ability to draw foreign investment.
As NSG commandos closed in on Nariman House, a Jewish residential complex in Colaba in south Mumbai, for a final assault, two explosions within a span of ten to 15 minutes slowed down their operation. A third explosion was heard at 4.47 am.
“The operation to clean up the Nariman House is still going on,” Director General of National Security Guard (NSG) J K Dutt told reporters adding “it is just a matter of time and it will end soon”.
