Up To 100 Killed, Foreigners Taken Hostage In Mumbai Attacks

Closeup map of Mumbai locating the known areas of Wednesday's attacks. Up to 100 people have been killed in a series of coordinated attacks across India's commercial capital Mumbai, as gunmen armed with assault rifles and grenades hit two luxury hotels and took foreign guests hostage. (AFP/Graphic)

From AFP:

MUMBAI (AFP) – Up to 100 people have been killed in a series of coordinated attacks across India's commercial capital Mumbai, as gunmen armed with assault rifles and grenades hit two luxury hotels and took foreign guests hostage.

A group calling itself the "Deccan Mujahedeen" claimed responsibility for the late night assaults on the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Trident hotels, as well as eight other locations, including the main train station, a hospital and an up-market restaurant.

The focus of the attacks, which began around 10:30pm (1700 GMT), was the two five-star hotels, with gunmen taking an unknown number of foreign guests hostage and exchanging fire with anti-terrorist commando units.

The head of Mumbai's Anti-Terrorism Squad, Hemant Karkare, was one of 11 security personnel killed in one of the shootouts.

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