At least 26 people, including a prominent journalist and several foreigners, have been killed in an attack on a hotel in southern Somalia.

A suicide bomber rammed a car containing explosives into the Asasey hotel in the port of Kismayo, and gunmen then stormed the building

Journalist Hodan Naleyah and her husband are thought to be among the dead.

A local politician, three Kenyans, three Tanzanians, two Americans and and one Briton were also killed, authorities say.



How did the attack unfold?

Regional politicians and clan elders were inside the hotel discussing a forthcoming regional election when the attack began.

Witnesses said they heard a huge blast before several heavily armed men forced their way in.

"There is chaos inside, I saw several dead bodies carried from the scene and people are fleeing from the nearby buildings," one witness, Hussein Muktar, said during the attack.

It took several hours for authorities to regain control over the hotel.

Regional President Ahmed Mohamed put the death toll at 26 with more than 50 people wounded. Four attackers were also killed in the raid.

Who were the victims?

Local media and a Somali journalists' association said Nalayeh, 43, and her husband Farid were among the dead.

Nalayeh founded the media platform Integration TV to tell stories about life in Somalia and in the Somali diaspora. Recent episodes had focused on Somalia's female entrepreneurs and things to do in the city of Las Anod.

She moved to Canada with her family when she was six years old and went on to become a figurehead of the Somali community there. But the mother of two had recently returned to Somalia.

Tributes have been paid to her, with BBC journalist Farhan Jimale calling her "a beautiful soul" while Canada's immigration minister Ahmed Hussen said she was a "voice for many".

The Somali Journalists Syndicate said that Nalayeh and another reporter also killed in Kismayo, Mohamed Omar Sahal, were the first journalists to be killed in the country this year.

How common is this type of attack?

Somalia sees frequent militant attacks but after al-Shabab was driven out of Kismayo in 2012 the port has been relatively peaceful.

The militants have been carrying out regular attacks in the capital Mogadishu, despite the heavy presence of African Union peacekeepers and US-trained Somali troops.

Al-Shabab is affiliated with al-Qaeda and remains a powerful presence in rural Somalia. </s> At least 26 people, including a prominent journalist and several foreigners, have been killed in an attack on a hotel in southern Somalia.

A suicide bomber rammed a car containing explosives into the Asasey hotel in the port of Kismayo, and gunmen then stormed the building

Journalist Hodan Naleyah and her husband are thought to be among the dead.

A local politician, three Kenyans, three Tanzanians, two Americans and and one Briton were also killed, authorities say.

How did the attack unfold?

Regional politicians and clan elders were inside the hotel discussing a forthcoming regional election when the attack began.

Witnesses said they heard a huge blast before several heavily armed men forced their way in.

There is chaos inside, I saw several dead bodies carried from the scene and people are fleeing from the nearby buildings,” one witness, Hussein Muktar, said during the attack.

It took several hours for authorities to regain control over the hotel.

Regional President Ahmed Mohamed put the death toll at 26 with more than 50 people wounded. Four attackers were also killed in the raid.

Who were the victims?

Local media and a Somali journalists’ association said Nalayeh, 43, and her husband Farid were among the dead.

Nalayeh founded the media platform Integration TV to tell stories about life in Somalia and in the Somali diaspora. Recent episodes had focused on Somalia’s female entrepreneurs and things to do in the city of Las Anod.

She moved to Canada with her family when she was six years old and went on to become a figurehead of the Somali community there. But the mother of two had recently returned to Somalia.

Tributes have been paid to her, with BBC journalist Farhan Jimale calling her “a beautiful soul” while Canada’s immigration minister Ahmed Hussen said she was a “voice for many”. </s> At least seven people were killed on Friday in a suicide bomb and gun attack claimed by Al-Shabaab militants on a hotel in southern Somalia, a security official said.

Authorities said a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into the popular Medina hotel in the southern port town of Kismayo before several heavily armed gunmen forced their way inside, shooting as they went.

The attack is the latest in a long line of bombing and assaults claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked group.

"We have confirmed the death of seven people including a former local administration minister and a lawmaker," said Abdi Dhuhul, a security official. "The toll may increase since the attack is not over yet."

"The blast rocked the popular Medina hotel formerly known as Cascasey which is located in downtown Kismayo," said security official Abdiweli Mohamed.

"Several gunmen entered and started shooting but the security forces responded quickly and engaged in a gunfight with the terrorists inside the building," he added.

"There is chaos inside, I saw several dead bodies carried from the scene and people are fleeing from the nearby buildings," Muktar said.

"The relatives of local journalist Mohamed Sahal confirmed his death and I'm getting that social media activist Hodan Naleyeh and her husband also died in the blast," another witness, Ahmed Farhan, said.

The Somali journalists' union SJS confirmed the reporters' deaths. "It is a very sad day for Somalian journalists," the union's secretary-general Ahmed Mumin said in a statement.

"Mujahidin fighters carried out a martyrdom attack on one of the hotels accommodating the apostate officials of the Jubaland administration," the group said, referring to an autonomous southern zone in the troubled country whose main city is Kismayo.

According to several sources, most of those staying in the hotel were politicians and traders ahead of upcoming regional elections.

The militant group emerged from Islamic Courts that once controlled central and southern Somalia and are variously estimated to number between 5,000 and 9,000 men.

In 2011, they fled positions they once held in Mogadishu, and have since lost many strongholds.

But they retain control of large rural swathes of the country and continue to wage a guerrilla war against the authorities. </s> Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Damage and shock after the worst attack in Kismayo for years

At least 26 people, including a prominent journalist and several foreigners, have been killed in an attack on a hotel in southern Somalia.

A suicide bomber rammed a car containing explosives into the Asasey hotel in the port of Kismayo, and gunmen then stormed the building.

Journalist Hodan Nalayeh, 43, and her husband Farid were among the dead.

Islamist group al-Shabab has claimed the attack, the worst to hit Kismayo since they were forced out in 2012.

A local politician, three Kenyans, three Tanzanians, two Americans and one Briton were also killed, authorities say.

How did the attack unfold?

Regional politicians and clan elders were inside the hotel discussing a forthcoming regional election when the attack began on Friday.

Witnesses said they heard a huge blast before several heavily armed men forced their way in.

"There is chaos inside, I saw several dead bodies carried from the scene and people are fleeing from the nearby buildings," one witness, Hussein Muktar, said during the attack.

It took 12 hours for authorities to regain control over the hotel.

Regional President Ahmed Mohamed put the death toll at 26 with more than 50 people wounded. Three attackers died in the raid while one was captured.

Who were the victims?

Hodan Nalayeh founded the media platform Integration TV to tell stories about life in Somalia and in the Somali diaspora.

Recent episodes had focused on Somalia's female entrepreneurs and things to do in the city of Las Anod.

She moved to Canada with her family when she was six years old and went on to become a figurehead of the Somali community there. But the mother of two had recently returned to Somalia.

She once spoke about how she would like to be remembered after her death.

"My vision is not to be famous and to make money. My mission is what I will leave behind when I die and what will I be remembered for," she said.

"One of the things is that I want people to remember that I loved the Somali people and want them to be brothers and to remember the importance of our unity for our country."

Tributes have been paid, with BBC journalist Farhan Jimale calling her "a beautiful soul" while Canada's Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said she was a "voice for many".

The Somali Journalists Syndicate said that Nalayeh and another reporter also killed in Kismayo, Mohamed Omar Sahal, were the first journalists to be killed in the country this year.

How common is this type of attack?

Somalia sees frequent militant attacks but after al-Shabab was driven out of Kismayo the port has been relatively peaceful.

The militants have been carrying out regular attacks in the capital Mogadishu, despite the heavy presence of African Union peacekeepers and US-trained Somali troops.

Al-Shabab is affiliated with al-Qaeda and remains a powerful presence in rural Somalia. </s> At least 30 people were killed in a huge car bomb blast at a busy market in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Sunday, officials said, China's Xinhua news agency reported. Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency confirmed the incident at Kawo-Gudey in Wadajir district, saying the casualties were both soldiers and civilians.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Malaysian National News Agency. </s> A car bomb exploded near a police station in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, killing at least six people and wounding another 13, police and witnesses said.

The bomb detonated as the car was driving in the busy Maka al-Mukaram road.

"The death toll may rise. Most of the injured ones are very serious," police officer, Mohamed Hussein, told Reuters news agency.

Rescue workers and civilians carried bloodied bodies and injured victims to hospitals.

Photojournalist Abdirizak Mohamud Tuuryare was at the scene.

"I saw bodies of five people, including women," he told Al Jazeera.

The blast occurred amid a traffic jam while soldiers were searching cars at a nearby intersection.

Most of the victims are civilians.

The exact target of the blast remains unclear.

No group has claimed responsibility for the apparent attack.

Somalia's Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said no such blast had taken place in the capital for a month. </s> NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - A Somalia police spokesman said a suicide car bomb by Islamic extremists has killed at least six people in the capital Wednesday.

Capt. Mohamed Hussein said most of the casualties are soldiers and more than 13 people were injured.

Somalia's extremist rebel group, al-Shabab, has claimed the responsibility for the blast, saying it targeted vehicles carrying government officials.

The car bomb exploded at a security checkpoint near the presidential palace in Mogadishu as soldiers were conducting security checks on vehicles on the main road.

Al-Shabab frequently carries out bomb blasts in the capital near the presidential compound and at hotels frequented by government officials and foreigners.

Somalis walk near the wreckage after a suicide car bomb attack in the capital Mogadishu, Somalia Wednesday, May 22, 2019. A police spokesman said the attack killed at least six people and injured more than a dozen, while Islamic extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the blast, saying it targeted vehicles carrying government officials. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh) </s> MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — A police officer says a car bomb blast near a police station in Somalia’s capital has killed at least five people and wounded at least 13 others.

Capt. Mohamed Hussein says the explosion near Waberi police station along the busy Maka Almukarramah road may have been a suicide bomber.

Most of the victims are civilians.

The exact target of the blast remains unclear.

The Somalia-based extremist group al-Shabab often carries out deadly bombings in Mogadishu. </s> A car bomb killed at least 11 people in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Thursday, police said.

The blast on a busy road destroyed two restaurants and cars parked nearby.

“The blast destroyed a restaurant and killed many who were inside and outside the restaurant,” said police major Mohamed Hussein.

No-one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack but Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants have targeted the area in the past, reports Reuters.

On Saturday, 15 people were killed in two explosions and a gunfight between al Shabaab militants and security personnel in central Mogadishu.
A car bomb and a gun attack kill at least 26, including two prominent journalists and nine foreigners, in Kismayo, Somalia.