Foreign Office warns against "all but essential travel" to Nairobi

The Foreign Office has advised tourists "against all but essential travel" to parts of Kenya following a major attack at a shopping centre in Nairobi. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

On its website, the FCO said: "A major attack has taken place at the Westgate shopping centre in the Westlands district of Nairobi. The incident is still ongoing, with reports of a number of casualties and hostages.

"Armed Kenyan security forces are on the scene. We advise British nationals to avoid the area and exercise extreme caution."

According to the Huffington Post, three British people have been killed in the terrorist attack at the Westgate Mall. A total of 59 people are dead.

The Foreign Office website warns Britons against travelling "within 60km of the Kenya-Somali border; to Kiwayu and coastal areas north of Pate Island; to Garissa District; to the Eastleigh area of Nairobi; and to low income areas of Nairobi, including all township or slum areas."

It adds that there is a "high threat from terrorism" and that extremists linked to Somalian militant group Al Shabaab, which is responsible for the shopping centre attack, are the main threat.

Al-Shabaab had tweeted that there would be "no negotiations whatsoever".

The group wrote on its official Twitter feed that "the Mujahideen entered Westgate Mall" at around noon local time yesterday.

It said it had previously warned the Kenyan government that, if they did not remove military forces from Somalia, there would be "severe consequences".

Hostages are reportedly still being held in Westgate Mall.