At least 14 killed in Somali hotel siege
Mogadishu, Aug 20 (EFE).- At least 14 people have been killed in an attack claimed by the al-Shabab group on a hotel in Mogadishu, security sources reported on Saturday.
The attack began on Friday night and lasted around 15 hours after members of the Somali militant group stormed the Hayat Hotel, which is frequented by politicians and government officials.
Among the deceased are the owner of the hotel and other businessmen.
A witness told independent Somali news agency Garowe Online that at least three explosions were heard near the hotel.
Video footage shared on Garowe’s Twitter feed showed a blast ripping through the top floor of the Hayat.
Al Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack saying that its fighters committed suicide in the assault on the hotel.
Al-Shabab, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, aims to expel all foreign forces from Somalia and establish a strict Islamic state.
Somalia has been in a state of upheaval since 1991 when the toppling of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre left the country without an effective government and vulnerable to Islamic militants, warlords and criminal groups. EFE
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