Somalia: Terrorists attack Mogadishu's Hayat Hotel, leave 10 civilians dead
What's the story
At least ten people died after terrorists struck a hotel in the capital of Somalia late Friday night. Witnesses reported that several people were injured during the attack at the Hayat Hotel in Mogadishu. According to reports, security personnel evacuated a large number of civilians, including children, from the scene of the attack.
Reports
The number of terrorists is yet to be known
Explosions occurred outside of the hotel before terrorists entered the premises. As security officers attempted to confine the last terrorists, who were believed to be holed up in the hotel, gunshots could still be heard early on Saturday morning. As per reports, it's still not known to the security agencies how many terrorists are currently hiding out on the upper floor of the hotel.
Terror attack
Al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabab group takes responsibility
The Islamic extremist organization Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack, which was the most recent in a series of frequent efforts to strike locations that are widely visited by government officials. For more than a decade, Al-Shabaab has been battling to destabilize the Somali government, which reportedly wishes to impose its own rules based on a rigorous understanding of Islamic law.
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The terrorists went straight upstairs and started shooting: Eyewitness
"We were having tea near the hotel lobby when we heard the first blast followed by gunfire. I immediately rushed toward hotel rooms on the ground floor, and I locked," Abdullahi Hussein, an eyewitness reportedly stated. "The terrorists went straight upstairs and started shooting. I was inside the room until the security forces arrived and rescued me," he added.
Information
Other details regarding the attack
On his way to safety, Hussein reported seeing "several bodies lying on the ground outside the hotel reception." There was no immediate information regarding the identities of the deceased. Notably, this is the first significant attack since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud assumed office in May.