Mogadishu: Terrorist attack on hotel
Al-Shabaab terrorists have had a hotel in Mogadishu under their control for hours. / Mogadishu: Terrorist attack on hotel
Several people were killed and the police suspect many injuries in the building. The hotel is mainly used by politicians. / Mogadishu: Terrorist attack on hotel
Twelve hours after storming a hotel in Somalia, the Islamist terrorist militia al-Shabaab still has the building in the capital Mogadishu under its control. Security forces surrounded the Hotel Villa Rosa near the Presidential Palace. Shots and explosions could also be heard in the morning.
There are different reports on the number of victims. The AFP news agency reports four deaths, citing a security officer. According to the dpa news agency, the police said at least ten hotel guests and a suicide bomber were killed, including two people with dual Somali-British citizenship. Somali Security Minister Ahmed Mohamed Doodishe was among the injured. The number of victims will probably increase. It is believed that there are many injured in the hotel.
Assault during prayer time
Only politicians, selected business people and high-ranking state guests have access to the hotel. Heavily armed al-Shabaab fighters stormed the building on Sunday evening during prayer time. According to eyewitnesses, loud explosions and shots were heard in the center of the city. The terrorist militia, which has close ties to al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack. According to police, government officials and other guests were rescued from the hotel.
The attack came two days after a large-scale military operation by Somali government troops in the center of the country in which the government said 100 al-Shabaab members were killed. Somalia, a country in the Horn of Africa with around 16 million inhabitants, has been rocked by attacks and violence for years. The government in Mogadishu has been conducting a military offensive against al-Shabaab for several months.
At least 10 dead in terrorist attack on hotel near Presidential Palace
Islamists have attacked a hotel used by government officials in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. A radical Islamic militia claimed responsibility for the attack.
Armed attackers stormed a hotel near the presidential palace in the Somali capital Mogadishu, killing at least ten people. Among them were two people with dual Somali-British citizenship, said Mohamed Dahir of the Somali police to the dpa news agency. The siege of the hotel continued late in the evening.
Somali Security Minister Ahmed Mohamed Doodishe was reportedly among the injured.
The terrorist militia is linked to al-Qaeda
The terrorist militia al-Shabaab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Reuters. The target of the attack is the nearby presidential palace. The state television station SNTV reported that security forces were taking action against the Islamists. Government officials and other guests were rescued from the hotel.
The attack in Mogadishu came two days after a large-scale military operation by Somali government forces in central Somalia that killed 100 Shabaab members, government sources said.
Somalia, a country in the Horn of Africa with around 16 million inhabitants, has been rocked by attacks and violence for years. The government in Mogadishu has been conducting a military offensive against al-Shabaab for several months.
