Gunfire and blasts were heard at the compound in the Westlands district of the Kenyan capital, which houses the DusitD2 hotel as well as offices, BBC reported.

The Somalia-based militant group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the incident, said reports.

"BREAKING: #Shabaab claims responsibility for horrific attack at DusitD2 hotel in #Nairobi #Kenya, wherefrom explosions and gunfire were heard today and “body parts and blood on the ground," SITE intelligence group posted on its website.

The attack began at around 3 pm local time and several video footages have emerged on the social media where security forces could be seen pulling out people from the complex.

One officer told BBC: "Things are not good. People are dying." 

Kenyan police chief Joseph Boinnet told the British news outlet: "Armed criminals are holding up in the hotel and specialist forces are currently flushing them out." 

DusitD2 hotel is a five-star hotel. It has 101 rooms.

Kenya has witnessed several terrorist attacks in recent times.

The US Embassy in Nairobi asked people to avoid the area where the gunfight is taking place.

"There are reports of an explosion and an active shooter situation at the Dusit Hotel complex in the Westland district of Nairobi. Avoid the area, monitor local news, and follow emergency instructions," the embassy tweeted.

Who are al -Shabaab?

Al-Shabaab is a jihadist fundamentalist group based in East Africa.

In 2012, it pledged allegiance to the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda. They are opposed to the Somali government. However, they have carried out attacks throughout East Africa.

Major Attacks:

In 2013, al-Shabab gunmen attacked the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi and targeted shoppers and at the end of the 80-hour-long siege 67 people lost their lives.

In 2015, gunmen stormed the Garissa University College in Garissa, Kenya, killing 148 people. The militant group and Al-Qaeda offshoot, Al-Shabaab, which the gunmen claimed to be from, took responsibility for the attack.Im

Image: Rita Katz Twitter page