Most of the city of Mumbai is now in a state of relative quiet, though reeling from attacks which started Wednesday evening. The Oberoi hotel has been retaken, some hostages were freed but at least 24 died. An attempt to retake a Jewish center earlier today likewise ended in tragedy. But the conflict is not over, and the city’s historic Taj hotel looks to be the final site of the multi-day siege.
As of Saturday morning (Mumbai time) gunmen yet remain in the hotel, and at least five large explosions have been heard from inside, along with intermittent exchanges of gunfire between the militants and Indian commandos.
The final toll of the attacks might not be known for days, but one official predicted the number might reach 200. And while the world looks at the political and economic ramifications of what stands to be among the largest terrorist attacks in Indian history, exactly who these attackers were and what their motivations were remains unclear.