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Friday, November 28, 2008

Mumbai hotel 'under army control'

Mumbai hotel 'under army control'

One of the luxury hotels taken over by gunmen in Mumbai is back under the control of the authorities, India's elite commando chief says.

JK Dutt said commandos had killed two militants at the Oberoi-Trident hotel. Police found 24 bodies there, shortly after 93 guests and staff were freed.

Gun battles continue at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel and a Jewish centre, where hostages are still being held.

India's foreign minister said "elements with links to Pakistan" were involved.

Pranab Mukherjee added that details could not be given at this time - this was only from initial evidence.

Commandos prepare to attack militants from the rooftop of Chabad House in Mumbai
Commandos are moving down through Nariman House
But his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, urged India not to bring politics into the issue.

"This is a collective issue. We are facing a common enemy and we should join hands to defeat the enemy," he said.

Earlier, the Indian navy took control of two Pakistani merchant navy ships and began questioning their crews after witnesses said some of the militants came ashore on small speedboats.

At least 130 people are reported to have been killed since the attacks began late Wednesday, but that figure is expected to rise as more bodies are found.

'Bodies in hall'

Mr Dutt, the director-general of India's National Security Guard, said the Oberoi-Trident was "under our control".

"We have killed two terrorists today," he said. "There was lots of firing, they also lobbed hand grenades. Some of them are unexploded, we are going to defuse them - you may hear some sound of explosions."

Earlier, the army said at least one gunman with "two or more hostages" remained in the Taj Mahal Palace hotel.

More than 100 commandos have gone into the Taj Mahal and gunfire and explosions continue to be heard, say BBC correspondents outside the hotel.