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Security forces in the Indian city of Mumbai have stormed a Jewish centre and are laying siege to a luxury hotel in an attempt to flush out attackers who took part in deadly cordinated attacks across the city.
Special forces dropped onto the roof of a building housing the headquarters of Chabad Lubavitch on Friday, amid reports that gunfire had been heard around the Taj Mahal hotel.
Meanwhile, security forces at another hotel, the Trident-Oberoi hotel, found 24 bodies after gaining control of the building.
At least 149 people are now known to have been killed since the attackers launched a series of assaults across Mumbai, India's financial hub.
Hostage fears
At least nine commandos lowered themselves from an Indian air force helicopter onto the roof of Nariman House, which houses the Jewish centre, on Friday.
Security sources told Al Jazeera's Matt McClure that special forces have killed at least five attackers holed up inside the building, as efforts continue to take overall control of the block.
At least six hostages are being held inside the building, Mark Sofer, Israel's ambassador to India, has said.
Two workers and a child had escaped from the building a day earlier, the only people to emerge so far.
The child was identified as the son of Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg, the main representative at Chabad house.
Hotel 'under control'
The chief of India's national security guard said on Friday that his forces had taken control of another hotel, the Trident-Oberoi, killing two attackers who had taken hostages there.
"We are just now sanitizing each and every room," JK Dutt said.
Some frightened civilians inside the hotel are refusing to leave their rooms, he said.
Twenty-four bodies were found inside the hotel, Hasan Ghafoor, Mumbai's police chief, said.
Although commandos have swept through most floors of the Taj Mahal hotel, a number of attackers are still thought to be inside.
Up to 200 people are believed to be still trapped in the hotels.
Sohail Rahman, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Mumbai, said the attackers holed up in the Taj appear to be mounting a strong resistance.
"Earlier it had been reported that security services had been able to take control of the Taj, but [as of about 0900 GMT] there was shooting from the second and third floors of the hotel, from gunmen holed up there," he said.
"Security services fired back but they have now restrained themselves because they believe there are a number of hostages still inside.
"That is quite a surprise considering that a few hours ago it was reported that they had control of the hotel and the Taj siege was over."
Meanwhile, the chief of India's Marine Commando Force said that his troops had come across "12 to 15 bodies" while sweeping through the Taj.
"The [attackers] were the kind of people with no remorse - anybody and whomsoever came in front of them, they fired," the commando said.
"We could have got those terrorists but for so many hotel guests ... The bodies were lying strewn here and there. There was blood all over and in trying to avoid the casualty of those civilians, we had to be that much more careful," he said.
Foreigners killed
Ratan Tata, who runs the company that owns the Taj Mahal hotel, said the attackers had detailed knowledge of the layout of the buildings.
The strikes by small bands of armed men starting on Wednesday night shocked Mumbai, the nerve-centre of India's growing economic might and home to the Bollywood film industry.
At least eight foreigners, including an Australian, a Briton, an Italian and a Japanese national, have been killed.
Seven attackers have been killed and nine suspects taken into custody, police have said.
Twelve policemen, including the head of Mumbai's counter-terrorism force, have also been killed, police say.
Indian government officials have been "very tight-lipped about the progress of the special forces at the locations where these attacks have happened", our correspondent reported.
"They are only giving out information as and when they can confirm it. They are making sure that they have a very tight lid on the information that is filtered out to the media," he said.
"So it is very difficult to asses exactly at what stage any of these forces or government officials are at in terms of planning in retaking buildings."
A US investigative team is heading to Mumbai, a state department official said on Thursday evening.
PHOTO CAPTION
National Security Guard commandos prepare a rope to tie onto a railing on the terrace of Nariman Bhavan, in Mumbai, India, Friday, Nov. 28, 2008.
Al-Jazeera
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