This article is from the source 'bbc' 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 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25568960
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 5 | Version 6 |
---|---|
Hotel in Somali capital Mogadishu hit by car bombs | Hotel in Somali capital Mogadishu hit by car bombs |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Two car bombs have exploded outside a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu, killing at least 10 people. | |
The blasts were at the Jazeera hotel which is frequented by Somali politicians and foreigners. | |
Reports say the blasts were followed by exchanges of fire between security forces and the attackers. | Reports say the blasts were followed by exchanges of fire between security forces and the attackers. |
The Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab, which was driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, said it carried out the attack. | |
The al-Qaeda-linked group still controls many southern and central areas of the country and has continued to launch attacks on the capital. | The al-Qaeda-linked group still controls many southern and central areas of the country and has continued to launch attacks on the capital. |
More gunfire | |
"First we heard a big crash and the security forces immediately opened fire," local resident Abdullahi Hussein told Reuters. | "First we heard a big crash and the security forces immediately opened fire," local resident Abdullahi Hussein told Reuters. |
"After a few minutes another explosion took place and there was more gunfire," he said. | "After a few minutes another explosion took place and there was more gunfire," he said. |
Four members of the security services were among the dead, including one senior officer, the deputy interior minister told the BBC's Somali service. | Four members of the security services were among the dead, including one senior officer, the deputy interior minister told the BBC's Somali service. |
Police officer Mohamed Warsame told the AFP agency that the second bomb went off as security services were trying to help the victims of the first blast. | Police officer Mohamed Warsame told the AFP agency that the second bomb went off as security services were trying to help the victims of the first blast. |
The Jazeera hotel, which is near the airport, was also targeted in December 2012, when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was staying there. At least seven people died in that attack. | |
Last week at least 11 people, including six soldiers, were killed by a remote-controlled bomb in a restaurant in Mogadishu. | Last week at least 11 people, including six soldiers, were killed by a remote-controlled bomb in a restaurant in Mogadishu. |
Al-Shabab is banned as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK and is believed to have between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters. | |
Although it has lost control of the towns and cities, its writ still runs in many rural areas. | |
It has imposed a strict version of Sharia law in such areas, including stoning to death women accused of adultery and amputating the hands of thieves. |