At least 10 killed in Al-Shabaab attack on hotel in Mogadishu
A map of Somalia showing the location of the capital Mogadishu. Source: Aljazeera
At least 10 people were killed when Al-Shabaab fighters stormed Villa Rays hotel located close to the presidential palace which is frequented by government officials.
Somalia’s security forces are still battling the militants who remained holed up in the hotel with witnesses reporting hearing gunfire and explosions in the hotel vicinity.
The national police spokesman Sadik Dudishe said many civilians and public officials had been rescued.
The attack started with two massive explosions targeting the hotel followed by an unknown number of assailants storming it.
This is the latest attack in Mogadishu by Al-Shabaab which has been on the back foot in recent months following an offensive by government forces, supported by armed local militias, that has pushed the group out of key towns and villages.
According to the Prime Minister’s office, at least 600 militants have been killed and 1,200 injured in the three-month offensive, while 68 areas have also been recaptured from the group.
On October 29, two cars ladened with explosives blew up minutes apart near Mogadishu’s busy Zobe junction followed by gunfire, killing at least 121 people and injuring 333 others.
