Somali security forces on Tuesday killed two jihadist fighters who were part of a group that stormed a hotel in the capital Mogadishu popular with politicians and army officers.
They belonged to the al-Shabaab Islamist group and two more members remain holed up in the hotel, where authorities have "rescued 82 people, including civilians and officials", said deputy police chief Zakia Hussen.
The attack began at around 7:00 pm (1600 GMT), when a gun battle broke out between the jihadists and members of the security forces guarding checkpoints leading to the nearby presidential palace.
No information was available on possible victims of the attack.
Al-Shabaab posted a statement online saying it had carried out an operation "which happened as planned", but gave no further details.
Several witnesses described scenes of panic as the attack broke out.
- Gunfire and grenade blasts -
"There is still gunfire inside the hotel building and sometimes grenade blasts," said one witness, Ali Moalim Nur.
"Three of my friends were inside the hotel when the attack started, but luckily they have escaped."
One of them suffered a fracture after jumping off a wall, he said.
Another witness, Abdukadir Ahmed, told AFP: "I was close to the hotel when the gunfire broke out and we managed to turn our vehicle swiftly.
"The security forces around the palace checkpoints were firing heavy machine-guns but we don't exactly know who was fighting who."
The SYL hotel is close to the main entrance of the Villa Somalia government complex, a high-security area that includes the presidential palace, the prime minister's office and ministry buildings.
The hotel, popular with officials, business people and diplomats, has suffered three previous deadly attacks, all claimed by al-Shabaab.
Five people were killed in January 2015 when a suicide car bomber rammed the hotel gates on the eve of a visit by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In February 2016, twin blasts set off close to the hotel and the neighbouring Peace Garden killed 14 people.
Then in August of the same year, a suicide car bomb attack on the hotel killed 15 people.
Al-Shabaab, allied to Al-Qaeda, was forced out of the capital in 2011 but still controls parts of the countryside and continues to launch attacks in Mogadishu, often striking the most prominent hotels and restaurants.
The jihadists have also staged attacks in neighbouring Kenya.
Somali security forces on Tuesday killed two jihadist fighters who were part of a group that stormed a hotel in the capital Mogadishu popular with politicians and army officers.
They belonged to the al-Shabaab Islamist group and two more members remain holed up in the hotel, where authorities have “rescued 82 people, including civilians and officials”, said deputy police chief Zakia Hussen.
The attack began at around 7:00 pm (1600 GMT), when a gun battle broke out between the jihadists and members of the security forces guarding checkpoints leading to the nearby presidential palace.
No information was available on possible victims of the attack.
Al-Shabaab posted a statement online saying it had carried out an operation “which happened as planned”, but gave no further details.
Several witnesses described scenes of panic as the attack broke out.
– Gunfire and grenade blasts –
“There is still gunfire inside the hotel building and sometimes grenade blasts,” said one witness, Ali Moalim Nur.
“Three of my friends were inside the hotel when the attack started, but luckily they have escaped.”
One of them suffered a fracture after jumping off a wall, he said.
Another witness, Abdukadir Ahmed, told AFP: “I was close to the hotel when the gunfire broke out and we managed to turn our vehicle swiftly.
“The security forces around the palace checkpoints were firing heavy machine-guns but we don’t exactly know who was fighting who.”
The SYL hotel is close to the main entrance of the Villa Somalia government complex, a high-security area that includes the presidential palace, the prime minister’s office and ministry buildings.
The hotel, popular with officials, business people and diplomats, has suffered three previous deadly attacks, all claimed by al-Shabaab.
Five people were killed in January 2015 when a suicide car bomber rammed the hotel gates on the eve of a visit by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In February 2016, twin blasts set off close to the hotel and the neighbouring Peace Garden killed 14 people.
Then in August of the same year, a suicide car bomb attack on the hotel killed 15 people.
Al-Shabaab, allied to Al-Qaeda, was forced out of the capital in 2011 but still controls parts of the countryside and continues to launch attacks in Mogadishu, often striking the most prominent hotels and restaurants.
The jihadists have also staged attacks in neighbouring Kenya.
