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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Somali presidential palace: 'Car bomb' attack in Mogadishu | Somali presidential palace: 'Car bomb' attack in Mogadishu |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A huge car bomb has blown a hole in the wall of Somalia's presidential palace, followed by a fierce gun battle inside, officials say. | |
| It is not clear how many people died in the attack but a minister told the BBC the situation was "under control". | It is not clear how many people died in the attack but a minister told the BBC the situation was "under control". |
| President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has told the UN envoy to Somalia he was not harmed, envoy Nick Kay has tweeted. | President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has told the UN envoy to Somalia he was not harmed, envoy Nick Kay has tweeted. |
| The al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab has said it carried out the attack, which it said was still ongoing. | The al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab has said it carried out the attack, which it said was still ongoing. |
| BBC Somalia analyst Mohamed Mohamed says this is the first time that al-Shabab fighters have entered the presidential palace, known as Villa Somalia. | |
| The heavily guarded complex is home to the president, prime minister, speaker of parliament, other ministers and a mosque, which was hit during the attack. | |
| Some of the attackers were wearing suicide vests, police sources have told the BBC. | |
| Senior police officer Abdikadir Ahmed told the Reuters news agency fighting was underway in the house of a military commander within the presidential compound, near the palace. | |
| "The car bomb hit and exploded and other al-Shabab cars with armed men drove inside the palace, and heavy fighting is still going on," he said. | "The car bomb hit and exploded and other al-Shabab cars with armed men drove inside the palace, and heavy fighting is still going on," he said. |
| Security Minister Abdi Karim Hussein told the BBC Somali service that some of the attackers had been killed and others captured. | Security Minister Abdi Karim Hussein told the BBC Somali service that some of the attackers had been killed and others captured. |
| He said all of the country's leaders were safe. | He said all of the country's leaders were safe. |
| Al-Shabab military spokesman Sheikh Abdul Aziz Abu Musab said militants were still in control of some buildings inside the presidential compound. | Al-Shabab military spokesman Sheikh Abdul Aziz Abu Musab said militants were still in control of some buildings inside the presidential compound. |
| "Our commandos have attacked the so-called presidential palace in order to kill or arrest those who who are inside," he told the AFP news agency. | "Our commandos have attacked the so-called presidential palace in order to kill or arrest those who who are inside," he told the AFP news agency. |
| Mr Kay said the attack on Villa Somalia had "failed". | Mr Kay said the attack on Villa Somalia had "failed". |
| "Sadly some lives lost. I condemn strongly this terrorism," he said. | "Sadly some lives lost. I condemn strongly this terrorism," he said. |
| Al-Shabab was driven out of Mogadishu in 2011 but it still controls many smaller towns and rural areas of the country. | |
| Some 22,000 African Union troops are helping the government battle al-Shabab. |