A member of the SAS helped secure a luxury hotel complex in Nairobi after 14 people, including a Briton, were killed in a militant attack. Another Briton was wounded as gunmen stormed the dusitD2 complex in the Westlands district of the Kenyan capital on Tuesday afternoon, setting off explosions and shooting people. The SAS soldier helps a woman to safety. Photograph: Njeri Mwangi/Reuters Announcing the end of the operation to secure the area on Wednesday, the Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, said: “All the terrorists have been eliminated.” It is understood a member of the SAS was involved in the mission, although the MoD said it did not comment on special forces. The solider searches a man at the scene of the attack. Photograph: Baz Ratner/Reuters Images showed a heavily armed man with a military vest and balaclava working with local forces and helping victims leave the complex. The Sun reported that the lone SAS member was involved in the operation, along with US Navy seals, having been in the country to train Kenyan special forces.<doc-sep>Pictures have emerged of an off-duty British soldier running into the line of fire to save dozens of hostages from a group of violent terrorists who had taken over a hotel in Kenya. With his face covered by a black balaclava, the lone soldier burst into the building and was captured on camera pulling injured hostages out of the hotel, before heading back in to confront the militant group. A former SAS operative has praised the unnamed man and says he was simply following the unit's three principals - speed, aggression, and surprise. Advert 10 Special forces vet Harry McCallion served in the parachute regiment and says there is no doubt that the soldier's actions saved countless lives. The soldier has been praised for his bravery. Credit: PA Writing for the Daily Mail, he said: "Yesterday Britain was awestruck by the bravery of the off-duty SAS soldier in jeans, flak jacket and balaclava who'd grabbed his Colt Canada assault rifle, pistol and combat knife from his car while on an errand in Nairobi, and 'run into danger' to help victims of the Al Shabaab terrorist attack in the Kenyan capital. "He saved lives, storming buildings, dragging people to safety amid the carnage of the devastating attack. And he fired off rounds at the fanatics, undoubtedly killing a number of them. Advert 10 "Truly, a hero emerged from this tragedy. But as a former member of the Parachute Regiment, South African special forces and 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, I was not surprised by his behaviour. For he has been trained both mentally and physically to kill with ruthless efficiency." Harry said training to become a member of the Special Forces is akin to 'going through hell', but will have prepared the masked man for what he encountered in Kenya. An ex-Special Forces officer says the unnamed man definitely saved lives. Credit: PA He added: "There's the Killing House, where as a member of the SAS Anti-Terrorist team - our Nairobi hero - will really have honed the skills that saved so many lives. It's where training for close combat is developed and the three words speed, aggression, surprise - or SAS - are drummed into recruits." Advert 10 According to reports in the Sun, the SAS operative stormed through the doors of the building in the capital city of Nairobi and is believed to have shot dead members of the militant group, who had detonated explosive devices and shot innocent bystanders during the attack on Tuesday. The unnamed man is said to have been in the country to support and train the Kenyan Special Forces when news broke of the violent incident at the hotel complex, which claimed the lives of 21 people. Pictured in jeans, trainers and body armour, the soldier was spotted carrying a rifle as he entered the compound. Masked by a balaclava the off-duty soldier raced into the face of danger. Credit: Getty Advert 10 An insider told the Sun that the unknown man was indeed a member of the Special Forces and almost certainly 'hit his target' upon entering the hotel. They said: "UK Special Forces always run towards the sound of gunfire. He was there training and mentoring Kenyan forces when the shout went up, so they went in. "During the operation he fired off some rounds - it's a safe bet he hit his target - the SAS don't miss.<doc-sep>An SAS soldier reportedly helped tackle the terrorists who killed at least 21 people in a luxury Nairobi hotel complex. The revelation comes as the British man who died in the Kenya attack has been named as charity worker Luke Potter. Image: Luke Potter has been named as the British man killed in Nairobi. Pic: Gatsby More than 700 civilians were moved to safety during the 20-hour siege in the upmarket Westlands neighbourhood which ended on Wednesday morning. Hours after police said all the terrorists had been "eliminated", it emerged a "long-serving" SAS member had reportedly helped secure the hotel complex during the attack. He is said to have been in the country training and mentoring Kenyan Special Forces when the assault broke out. Advertisement The unnamed soldier can reportedly be seen in photos wearing a balaclava as he helps civilians to flee the hotel and office complex. Image: Security forces helped free civilians in the hotel in Nairobi He is said to have joined the rescue effort after a request from Kenya's security services. An unnamed insider has claimed the SAS soldier fired shots during the siege that started on Tuesday, and that US Navy Seals also helped with the mission. The identity of the British national who died was confirmed by the international development charity Gatsby that he worked for. The organisation said in a statement: "Luke was respected by all he worked with, bringing huge drive, determination, a relentless work ethic, and a thirst for new ideas to every project. Image: A CCTV image has emerged showing one of the terrorists inside the complex "He brought a calm head and his unique sense of humour to every situation. He was deeply committed to his work, to his teams, to Gatsby and to development in Africa. He was our colleague and our friend. "We share the grief of his family, partner, daughter and friends. "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with them. We are now focused on offering all the support we can to them and to our staff." A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are supporting the family of a British man killed in the recent terrorist attack in Kenya. "We are also supporting a British person who was wounded during the attack and is receiving medical attention. "We stand ready to help any other British people affected." Image: Kenyan security officers took cover behind a moving vehicle as they searched for attackers The British man who was wounded is also yet to have been identified. Kenya's president has said the Islamist terrorists who carried out the assault have all been "eliminated". Uhuru Kenyatta said the security operation is now over after the siege left innocent people dead. He added that most of the victims were Kenyans. Police sources and a mortuary official had previously reported 15 were killed in the attack - but the number of dead was later revised up to 21. The Kenyan Red Cross has said 50 people who were in the hotel at the time of the attack remain unaccounted for. Really tragic news from Kenya – my thoughts are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones in this attack including one British citizen. UK stands with Kenya at this difficult time. Our team in Nairobi are supporting all Brits affected https://t.co/umyzSDEcMK — Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) January 16, 2019 San Francisco-based company I-DEV International confirmed that its American co-founder Jason Spindler was killed in the siege. The company said in an email that nine other employees in its Nairobi office were safely evacuated. London-based foreign aid contractor Adam Smith International said two of its Somali-Kenyan employees were killed. Image: American businessman Jason Spindler was killed in the attack. Pic: I-DEV International Abdalla Dahir and Feisal Ahmed were on the terrace of a restaurant in the complex where the company has offices. Some 50 staff and consultants were safely evacuated. Mr Kenyatta said hundreds of civilians were led to safety after the attack on the DusitD2 hotel and office complex, which includes bars, restaurants, offices and banks. He did not clarify if people were still hiding on the site. Ronald Ng'eno wrote "please tell my family I love them" on Twitter in what he thought was his final goodbye. The 38-year-old was rescued after 11 hours hiding in the office where he works as a communications officer. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player President: 'Kenyans are grieving' Reuben Kimani, a barista working at the hotel, said he recognised at least one of the attackers, having served him coffee in the run-up to the assault. He said: "I knew one of them because he had a big scar on one of his hands. "I saw them. "They shot six of my friends, four didn't die but two succumbed." He said the attackers shouted "why are you killing our brothers and sisters in Somalia?" before opening fire. Mr Kimani was rescued after several hours trapped inside the hotel. President Kenyatta, who urged Kenyans to "go back to work without fear", said in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday: "I can confirm that... the security operation at the Dusit complex is over and all the terrorists eliminated." Image: A heavily-armed policeman patrols outside the hotel complex He added: "As of this moment, we have confirmation that 14 innocent lives were lost to the... terrorists, with others injured." Mr Kenyatta said authorities will "pursue relentlessly" those allegedly involved in the funding, planning and execution of the attack on the hotel complex. He added that "multiple security efforts are underway to detect, deter, disrupt and defeat any terrorist operative or group". Mr Kenyatta added: "From the means available to the security services and judicial arms, we will continue taking every step to make our nation inhospitable to terrorist groups and their networks." The Kenyan leader has not confirmed how many attackers were involved in the co-ordinated terror operation. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Armed extremists captured on CCTV Al-Shabaab - the Somalia-based Islamist extremist group that is allied to al Qaeda - claimed responsibility for the deadly attack. CCTV footage broadcast on local media showed four black-clad, heavily-armed men entering the complex on Tuesday afternoon. At least one of them blew himself up at the start of the attack. Authorities sent special forces into the hotel to flush out the gunmen, who local reports said were on the seventh floor of the Grosvenor Hotel. Image: More than 700 civilians were led to safety in the rescue operation Video footage from inside the building showed Kenyan security officers searching the premises. Workers could be seen emerging from hiding places while gunfire could still be heard. A senior police officer said two attackers had been shot dead on Wednesday morning after a prolonged shootout. He added: "The two have red bandanas tied around their forehead and bullets strapped around their chest with several magazines each. "Each had an AK47 which has been secured." Sporadic gunfire could be heard from the scene hours before Mr Kenyatta spoke on Wednesday, after scores of people were rescued at daybreak during what police called a "mopping-up" exercise. Kenyan hospitals appealed for blood donations as casualties were being treated. The country's authorities have not released a figure for the number injured in the attack. The medical director of M.P. Shah Hospital in Nairobi said most of the casualties it has received had gunshot wounds. Image: People were led away from the complex by members of the security forces Dr Vishal Patel said they received seven people and two of them died. The others needed emergency surgery. A fresh blast has been heard in the Nairobi complex 24 hours after the extremists first entered. Witnesses said security services are conducting a sweep for explosives and emergency responded seemed unperturbed. A group of Muslim leaders in Kenya's capital has condemned Islamist terror attack, calling it "immoral and inconsistent with any human values." Image: Local reports said the attackers were on the seventh floor of the building The leaders urged Kenyans to "shun the desperate attempts by some misguided elements to divide the country along religious and ethnic lines".<doc-sep>
A heavily-armed man seen working with Kenyan forces and helping victims during the Nairobi attack this week was a member of Britain's special forces, British media reported, citing officials. "Without this British special forces soldier, many more lives would have been lost," the Daily Mirror quoted a senior British military source as saying. "His selfless action will be remembered by those he rescued and privately celebrated and acknowledged by his colleagues," the military source said. The paper said the man was part of a small "liaison" team embedded with Kenyan special forces. Former special forces soldier Chris Ryan was quoted in the paper as saying the man was "out shopping" when the attack started. The Times said he is a "long-serving member" of Britain's elite SAS (Special Air Service). Pictures of the man, who wore jeans, a purple jumper and a balaclava, showed him rescuing survivors. He was wearing body armour, holding an assault rifle and carrying a pistol. The British government does not comment on special forces. Five gunmen with the Al-Qaeda-linked Somali militant group Al-Shabaab attacked the DusitD2 hotel and office complex in Nairobi on Tuesday, killing 21 people. Kenya declared the attack over yesterday and said all five assailants were dead. Security forces have resumed their search of the hotel complex, as information emerged about one of the attackers. Police say one of the attackers was Ali Salim Gichunge, who was also known as Farouk. He was traced through his car, which was used at the attack, to his home in the Ruaka suburb where he lived. A detective who took part in the raid on the house said police had uncovered a "huge hole dug in one of the rooms where guns were stored". Another police source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were confident there were no more people trapped inside the hotel or surrounding office buildings after the 20-hour assault, during which some 700 civilians were rescued. "We are confident that we have no more people there," the officer said, "but in a situation like this, you are not done until you are done." "We are back in with sniffer dogs and bomb experts are checking through because yesterday we found grenades left by those people." Police warned the public there may be loud controlled explosions as they continued their sweep of the hotel. Chilling CCTV footage showed one of the attackers lingering in front of the terrace of the Secret Garden restaurant before blowing himself up. Four other attackers were shot dead by police during the operation to secure the hotel. Al-Shabaab said it was acting to avenge the decision by US President Donald Trump to declare Jerusalem as Israel's capital, according to the SITE monitoring group.