8 dead in militant siege at Somali hotel
MOGADISHU: Three people were killed in an hourslong siege by Al Shabaab militants at a popular hotel near the presidential palace in the Somali capital Mogadishu, police said on Friday.
Armed fighters had stormed the SYL hotel in a hail of bullets late on Thursday before security forces announced Friday they had brought the situation under control ater more than 13 hours.
“Three people died in the atack and 27 others including 18 civilians and nine soldiers were wounded ,” so mali police spokesman colonelqa sim Ahmed Roble told a press conference, adding that the injury toll included three lawmakers.
Security forces also killed five assailants in a gunbatle, he added. “The situation at the hotel is back to normal now,” Roble said.
“Several gunmen forced their way into the building ater destroying the perimeter wall with a heavy explosion,” security officer Ahmed Dahir said.
Witnesses described hearing the assailants shoot indiscriminately.
“I don’t know about the casualties but there were many people inside when the atack started,” said Hassan Nur, who escaped by scaling a wall.
Other witnesses said police arrived at the hotel within minutes of the atack, triggering a fierce gun batle.
Abdullahi Hassan, who was at a nearby house, said the officers arrived in multiple vehicles and that ambulances carried away wounded people.
President has sans heikhm oh a mud met defence officials on Thursday at a “strategic meeting” to establish a plan to reclaim the lost territory, Somali national news agency SONNA reported.
“The president commended the valiant efforts of Somali forces and emphasised the government’s unwavering resolve to eradicate terrorism,” it said.
The SYL is close to the Villa Somalia government complex, a high-security area that includes the presidential palace, the prime minister’s office and ministry buildings.
“It is a highly significant atack that shaters a sense of calm in Mogadishu that has developed in recent months following some security reforms,” said Omar Mahmood, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group (ICG), noting that in the past Al Shabaab assaults had increased during Ramadan.
“It also serves as a signal from Al Shabaab that despite much heralded efforts by this government to weaken them, the group remains active and resilient, and even able to hit the government close to home.” The militants have been waging war against the federal government for more than 16 years and have oten targeted hotels, which tend to host high-ranking Somali and foreign officials.