A dead white woman has been found among Islamic terrorists killed by soldiers as they stormed the mall where 62 shoppers were slaughtered this weekend, Kenyan officials said today. The claim, made by three sources to Reuters, has fueled speculation that the dead woman is Samantha Lewthwaite (pictured), the widow of 7/7 bomber Jermaine Lindsay, who is wanted by Kenyan police on a string of terror charges.

There were conflicting reports about the identity of the attackers. Al Shabaab claimed on Twitter last night that the group was being led by Samantha Lewthwaite, who was married to Jermaine Lindsay, one of the 7/7 suicide bombers.

Known as the White Widow, she is wanted by Kenyan police over links to a suspected terrorist cell planning bomb attacks.

A link between Lewthwaite and the Westgate attack was made after soldiers claimed they had seen a white woman in a veil shouting orders to gunman in Arabic.

The Kenyan authorities have said that 62 civilians have now been confirmed dead while 65 people were receiving treatment in hospital. Among the dead are Ghanaian poet and former UN envoy Kofi Awoonor, 78, the nephew of Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and his fiancée.

There are fears the death toll will rise as security forces search the upmarket shopping complex. At least 175 were injured, including children.

The official Kenyan police Twitter feed reported that more than 200 civilians had been rescued as troops took control of all the floors of the mall. Eleven soldiers from the Kenyan Defence Force (KDF) were also wounded in the fighting.

“Chances of any terrorists sneaking and escaping are very slim. KDF troops have sealed all possible escape routes,” it said. “Fire started in the building by the terrorists to distract the ongoing operation is being managed by fire fighters from different agencies.”

The start of the final assault was heralded by a series of loud blasts and a barrage of gunfire as a pall of thick black smoke began to rise over the mall.

The chief of the Kenyan defence forces, General Julius Karangi, said the Islamist militants who carried out the attack - thought to number around 10 to 15 - included fighters from various countries.

“We have an idea who these people are and they are clearly a multinational collection from all over the world,” he said.

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