This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/25/several-dead-after-militants-storm-mogadishu-hotel
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Several dead after militants storm Mogadishu hotel | Several dead after militants storm Mogadishu hotel |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 13 people have been killed in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, after al-Shabaab militants rammed a car bomb into the gate of a hotel and stormed inside, police have said. | At least 13 people have been killed in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, after al-Shabaab militants rammed a car bomb into the gate of a hotel and stormed inside, police have said. |
| More than a dozen people were also injured, Maj Mohamed Ahmed, a police officer, told Reuters, adding that the death toll could rise. | More than a dozen people were also injured, Maj Mohamed Ahmed, a police officer, told Reuters, adding that the death toll could rise. |
| Gunfire rang out as fighters entered the Dayah hotel and a second blast shook the area shortly afterwards, police and witnesses said. | |
| “Well-armed mujahideen [fighters] attacked the hotel, and now they are fighting inside the hotel,” according to a report by Somalia’s Andalus radio, which is linked to al-Shabaab. | “Well-armed mujahideen [fighters] attacked the hotel, and now they are fighting inside the hotel,” according to a report by Somalia’s Andalus radio, which is linked to al-Shabaab. |
| Al-Shabaab, which until 2011 controlled Mogadishu and much of Somalia, often launches bomb and gun attacks in the capital, saying it wants to topple the western-backed government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam on the nation. | Al-Shabaab, which until 2011 controlled Mogadishu and much of Somalia, often launches bomb and gun attacks in the capital, saying it wants to topple the western-backed government and impose its 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. | 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. |
| “Shooting is taking place,” Maj Ali Hussein, a police officer at the scene, told Reuters, shortly before the second blast that sent journalists and others near the scene scurrying for safety. Some shops nearby were damaged. | “Shooting is taking place,” Maj Ali Hussein, a police officer at the scene, told Reuters, shortly before the second blast that sent journalists and others near the scene scurrying for safety. Some shops nearby were damaged. |