MOGADISHU: Twenty-eight people were killed on Wednesday when Al-Shabaab fighters attacked a popular Mogadishu hotel, setting off two car bombs and opening fire on security guards, according to the city’s main ambulance service.

The attack, claimed by the al-Qaeda-aligned Shabaab insurgents, began when a car loaded with explosives rammed the gate of the Dayah Hotel near the Somali parliament and state house.

Security sources said at least four gunmen then entered the compound and exchanged fire with security guards, but they were shot dead before reaching the main building where guests were staying. They were not counted among the 28 dead.

A second massive blast went off after ambulances and journalists had already rushed to the scene, leaving seven reporters with minor injuries, according to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).

28 killed in attack on Mogadishu hotel was posted in World of TheNews International - https://www.thenews.com.pk on January 26, 2017 and was last updated on January 26, 2017. This news story is related to Print/181788-28-killed-in-attack-on-Mogadishu-hotel/ - breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne. Permanent link to the news story "28 killed in attack on Mogadishu hotel" is https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/181788-28-killed-in-attack-on-Mogadishu-hotel. </s> At least 13 people were killed in Somalia’s Mogadishu on Wednesday after gunmen crashed a car packed with explosives into the gate of Dayah hotel, Reuters reported. The hotel is said to be popular with politicians and government officials.

Islamist group Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack on a Telegram messaging account. “The mujahideen fighters have attacked a hotel and have managed to enter the hotel after detonating a car loaded with explosives,” read the statement by Al Shabaab, according to AFP.

The attackers stormed the hotel after the car bomb exploded and exchanged fire with security guards. A second blast went off after ambulances had arrived at the scene, leaving several injured, reported AFP.

The police said that all civilians were rescued, though the death toll may rise. The injured were taken to Madina hospital, where some of them were said to have “very serious” wounds. Dozens of people including lawmakers were said to have been inside the hotel at the time of the attack, a police official told AP.

Al Shabaab frequently attacks hotels and government buildings in Somalia in protest against the country’s government, which is backed by Western countries. On January 2, an explosion near the security checkpoint at Mogadishu’s international airport left three dead. The blast had occurred near the main base of the African Union peacekeeping mission, reported AP. </s> Al-Shabaab, a jihadist terrorist group based in East Africa, on Wednesday triggered a massive car explosion near a popular hotel in Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia and followed it with gun fire, killing at least 13 people in the process and injuring around a dozen, Al Jazeera reported.

A car packed with explosives rammed into Dayah Hotel in central Mogadishu and militants later opened fire trying to storm inside the building. There was an exchange of fire between them and security guards.

As ambulances were pressed to service and journalists started arriving on the scene, a second bomb went off, which injured four journalists.

Security forces, however, managed to secure the building following the gun attack. Major Mohamed Ahmed, a police officer, told Reuters that the casualty figures might rise.

Dayah Hotel is close to the country's parliament building and the hotel is popular with lawmakers, government officials and entrepreneurs. Several members of the parliament were said to be inside the hotel during the attack, the Associated Press reported.

The massive explosion has caused widespread damage and also destroyed neighbouring houses.

Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack. Al-Shabaab wants to remove the current government and turn the country into a fundamentalist Islamic state. It dislikes the western support to the current government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Al-Shabaab has been linked with Al-Qaida and uses terror attacks to prove its point. </s> MOGADISHU, June 15 (Reuters) - At least 19 people were killed when Islamist attackers launched a car bomb and gun attack on a busy hotel and adjacent restaurant in the Somali capital, a police officer said on Thursday.

A car driven by a suicide bomber rammed into the Posh Hotel in south Mogadishu on Wednesday evening before gunmen rushed into Pizza House, an adjacent restaurant, and took 20 people hostage. Posh Hotel is the only venue with a discotheque in the capital.

Abdi Bashir told Reuters the Somali security forces took control of the restaurant at midnight after the gunmen held hostages inside for several hours. Five of the gunmen were killed, Bashir said.

"We are in control of the hotel but it was mostly destroyed by the suicide bomber," he told Reuters by phone.

Witnesses said there were bodies lying at the scene on Thursday morning as ambulances came to take them away.

Al Shabaab, the Islamist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack. </s> At least 28 people have been killed and dozens wounded in a coordinated gun-and-bomb attack carried out by al-Shabab at a popular hotel in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, according to officials.

The assault on Wednesday morning began when attackers rammed an explosives-packed car into the gate of Dayah Hotel, which is near Somalia's parliament in central Mogadishu, and then stormed inside exchanging gunfire with security guards.

A second massive car bomb blast went off after ambulances and journalists had arrived at the scene, leaving at least four reporters wounded, according to AFP news agency.

"We have confirmed 28 people died and 43 others were injured in the two blasts at the hotel," Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of the capital's ambulance services, told Reuters news agency.

Security Minister Abdirizak Umar told reporters at the scene that 51 people were wounded in the two blasts at the hotel.

Al Jazeera's Catherine Soi, reporting from Nairobi in neighbouring Kenya, said a freelance journalist working for Al Jazeera Arabic was among those wounded.

OPINION: US policies do more harm than good in Somalia

Colonel Abdiqadir Hussein, a police officer, told Reuters that security forces eventually managed to secure the building.

"We have rescued the people and concluded the operation at Dayah Hotel."

Witnesses said the powerful explosions caused extensive damage in the area near the hotel, shattering dozens of windows and damaging parked cars.

"All the neighbouring houses have been destroyed," Yusuf Hassan, editor of Somali newspaper Haqiqa Times, told Al Jazeera from the scene.

"I see people crying because they have lost their relatives," he added.

"It is really a big tragedy."

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a report by Andalus radio, which is linked to the armed group.

"Well-armed mujahideen [fighters] attacked the hotel and now they are fighting inside the hotel," the report said.

Dozens of people, including members of Somalia's parliament, were thought to have been in the hotel at the time of the attack, Captain Mohamed Hussein told The Associated Press news agency.

The hotel is popular with politicians, government officials and entrepreneurs.

Al-Shabab has carried out a series of deadly attacks in Somalia to try to topple the country's western-backed government.

In June, the group claimed responsibility for an attack on the Nasa Hablod hotel, which killed at least 15 people. </s> At least 19 civilians were killed when Islamist attackers launched a car bomb and gun attack on a busy hotel and an adjacent restaurant in the Somali capital Mogadishu, a police officer said on Thursday.

MOGADISHU: At least 19 people were killed when Islamist attackers launched a car bomb and gun attack on a busy hotel and adjacent restaurant in the Somali capital, a police officer said on Thursday.

A car driven by a suicide bomber rammed into the Posh Hotel in south Mogadishu on Wednesday evening before gunmen rushed into Pizza House, an adjacent restaurant, and took 20 people hostage. Posh Hotel is the only venue with a discotheque in the capital.

Abdi Bashir told Reuters the Somali security forces took control of the restaurant at midnight after the gunmen held hostages inside for several hours. Five of the gunmen were killed, Bashir said.

"We are in control of the hotel but it was mostly destroyed by the suicide bomber," he told Reuters by phone.

Witnesses said there were bodies lying at the scene on Thursday morning as ambulances came to take them away.

Al Shabaab, the Islamist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack. </s> MOGADISHU – Islamist militants rammed a car bomb into the gate of a hotel in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, jumped clear and stormed inside on Wednesday, killing 28 people, government and medical officials said.

Gunfire rang out as four militants burst into the Dayah Hotel, which is popular with politicians. A second explosion shook the area shortly afterwards, injuring several journalists and other people nearby.

“Well-armed mujahideen (militants) attacked the hotel and now they are fighting inside the hotel,” said an announcer on Andalus radio, which is linked to the al Shabaab jihadist group. Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

Security forces eventually shot dead all four militants and managed to secure the building, according to Abdifatah Omar, the Mogadishu municipality spokesman. Government websites confirmed this, quoting the security minister.

“We have confirmed 28 people died and 43 others injured in the two blasts at the hotel,” Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of the Mogadishu’s ambulance services, told Reuters.

Duniye Mohamed, a doctor at Madina hospital, had earlier said some of the people taken there were very seriously wounded. Security Minister Abdirizak Umar had earlier put the death toll at 15, including four security personnel.

The secondary explosion sent a plume of flame high up over the hotel and several buildings and cars in the vicinity were destroyed.

Until 2011, al Shabaab controlled much of the Horn of Africa country including Mogadishu. Its militants often stage bomb and gun attacks in the capital in their quest to topple the Western-backed government and impose their own strict interpretation of sharia (Islamic law) on the nation.

In the past two years, African Union and Somali government forces have driven al Shabaab out of important urban strongholds but it remains active from bases in rural areas.

Somalia swore in nearly 300 members of parliament last month and they are due to pick the president but that vote has repeatedly been postponed. It is now due to be held on February 8, said a parliamentary official who did not wish to be named. </s> Mogadishu: Islamist militants rammed a car bomb into the gate of a hotel and stormed inside, killing at least 13 people in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, police said.

Gunfire rang out as fighters entered Dayah Hotel, which is popular with politicians. A second blast shook the area shortly afterwards, injuring several people nearby.

Colonel Abdiqadir Hussein, a police officer, told Reuters security forces later managed to secure the building.

"We have rescued the people and concluded the operation at Dayah hotel. The security forces are now inside the hotel and we shall give further details of casualty later," he said.

Another police officer, Major Mohamed Ahmed, said a dozen people had been wounded, in addition to the 13 killed who included members of the security forces and civilians. "The death toll may rise," he added.

Duniye Mohamed, a doctor at Madina hospital where some casualties were taken, said the injured included people with "very serious" wounds.

Islamist group Al Shabaab, which until 2011 controlled Mogadishu and much of Somalia, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Well-armed mujahideen (fighters) attacked the hotel, and now they are fighting inside the hotel," reported Somalia's Andalus radio, which is linked to al Shabaab.

The insurgents often launch bomb and gun attacks in the capital, saying they want to topple the Western-backed government and impose their strict interpretation of Islam on the nation.

In the past two years, a campaign by African Union troops and Somali forces has driven the group out of key urban strongholds, but it remains active from bases in rural areas.

The Horn of Africa country swore in nearly 300 members of its parliament last month. The lawmakers will also pick the president, although that vote has repeatedly been postponed. </s> Nine people killed in suicide attack on Mogadishu hotel

At least nine people were killed in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday when a suicide bomber rammed a car into a hotel, police and witnesses said, in an attack claimed by militant Islamist group al Shabaab, Reuters reported.

Gunfire followed the attack on the Posh Hotel, the only venue with a discotheque in the capital, a Reuters witness said.

Witnesses said the whole district was cordoned off by police, and that sporadic gunfire could still be heard.

"So far, we can confirm that nine people - mostly women who were hotel staff - have died," said Mohamed Hussein, another police officer.

Hussein told Reuters the suicide attacker rammed the explosive-laden car laden into the hotel's entrance. Another police officer said gunmen had stormed a restaurant adjacent to the hotel in central Mogadishu.

Al Shabaab, which has carried out a campaign of suicide bombings in its bid to topple the Somali government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam, claimed responsibility.

"A mujahid (fighter) with his suicide car bomb martyred himself after he rammed into the Posh Hotel, which is a nightclub. The operation goes on," Abdiasis Abu Musab, the group's military spokesman, told Reuters.

Since losing large swathes of territory to African Union peacekeepers supporting the government, the group has frequently launched raids and deadly attacks in Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government.

The Horn of Africa country has been racked by armed conflict since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other.
Twenty-eight people are killed in a coordinated attack on the Dayah Hotel in central Mogadishu. The terrorist group Al-Shabaab claims responsibility.