At least 12 people were killed in an attack on a hotel in Somalia's capital Mogadishu by militants allegedly linked to al-Qaeda. Accordi...
At least 12 people were killed in an attack on a hotel in Somalia's capital Mogadishu by militants allegedly linked to al-Qaeda.
According to the foreign news agency "Reuters", an intelligence officer said that the militants have taken people hostage, and the authorities are still struggling to rescue them after 24 hours.
According to reports, the attackers attacked the Hyatt Hotel on Friday evening with two car bombs and then opened fire, with Somalia's al-Shabaab group claiming responsibility.
Also read: Somalia: 8 people killed in a suicide attack near the presidential palace in Mogadishu
Mohammad, an intelligence officer who gave his first name, told Reuters that so far 12 people had been confirmed dead, most of them civilians.
Muhammad said that the armed men have taken hostages on the second floor of the hotel whose number is not known, due to which the authorities are not using heavy weapons.
He added that they also destroyed the stairwells by lobbing bombs so that access to certain floors became difficult.
Officials had secured 95 percent of the building as the siege entered its second day Saturday evening, state broadcaster Somali National Television said, but state TV did not provide an updated death toll.
Read more: Somalia: Attack on hotel in Mogadishu, 9 people killed
A senior official told Reuters that among those fighting the militants inside the hotel was Gashan, who belongs to a paramilitary force specializing in counterinsurgency.
The report further stated that the blasts caused huge clouds of smoke while the sounds of gunshots echoed throughout the capital even on Saturday evening.
Eyewitnesses said that explosions were heard when government forces tried to wrest control of the hotel from the militants on Friday night.
He said that due to the fight, a large part of the hotel was destroyed.
The attack is the first major incident since Hassan Sheikh Mohamad took office as president in May.
Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the Sight Intelligence Group, which monitors the group's statements.
The report stated that al-Shabaab group has been fighting to overthrow the government in Somalia for more than 10 years.
Also Read: Al-Shabaab terrorists attack in Somali capital, 9 people killed
The Hyatt Hotel is popular with lawmakers and other government officials, and there was no immediate word on whether any of them had been taken hostage.
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