At least 17 people have been killed and more than a dozen wounded in a gun and bomb attack by the al-Shabab a week after four of their fighters held in Mogadishu’s central prison were killed in a shoot-out by security forces after they reportedly managed to get their hands on weapons within the facility.
The attack by the Al shabab armed group occured yesterday Sunday at Beachfront hotel in Somalia’s capital leaving dozens killed and others retreating wounds.
Ismael Mukhtar Omar, the government Spokesperson told reports that the siege on Sunday ended after a three-hour fierce gun battle between al-Shabab fighters and security forces which began with a suicide car bombing.
Security authorities said among the 12 victims were two government employees, three hotel security guards, four civilians and three unidentified people.
Mukhtar told the Associated Press that all four assailants were killed by security forces.
According to eye witnesses, the attack started in the afternoon with a powerful car bomb blast which blew off the security gates to the hotel.
Gunmen ran inside taking hostages of the guests mostly young men and women who were dining therein.
Some of the guests at the hotel were rescued while over 28 wounded people were taken to hospitals.
Al-Shabab said they carried out the attack, according to a statement translated by the SITE Intelligence Group. The statement claimed its fighters “took control over the hotel” in the “martyrdom-seeking operation.”
