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Somalia blast: Mogadishu hotel rocked by bomb Somalia blast: Mogadishu hotel rocked by bomb
(35 minutes later)
At least 10 people have been killed in a huge bomb explosion at a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu.At least 10 people have been killed in a huge bomb explosion at a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu.
A BBC correspondent in the city reports that a lorry was used to attack the Jazeera hotel near the city's airport. A BBC correspondent in the city says a lorry was used to attack the Jazeera Palace Hotel near the airport.
Ambulances have begun collecting the dead and wounded in what he describes as one of the worst scenes of destruction he has seen in Mogadishu. Ambulances have been collecting the dead and wounded in what he describes as one of the worst scenes of destruction he has seen in Mogadishu.
Somali Islamist group al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack on the hotel. Somali militant Islamist group al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack.
It said it was responding to assaults on the group by an African Union force and the Somali government. The al-Qaeda linked group said it was responding to assaults by an African Union force and the Somali government.
International diplomats often stay at the hotel, which has been targeted in the past. It accommodates several embassies including those of China, Qatar and Egypt. The blasts came as President Barack Obama was leaving Kenya for Ethiopia, at the end of a trip during which he had discussions about dealing with the threat from al-Shabaab.
International diplomats often stay at Jazeera Palace Hotel, which has been targeted in the past. It also accommodates several embassies including those of China, Qatar and Egypt.
"A suicide car bomb exploded at the gate of Jazeera Hotel," Major Nur Osoble, a police officer, told Reuters news agency."A suicide car bomb exploded at the gate of Jazeera Hotel," Major Nur Osoble, a police officer, told Reuters news agency.
A government security officer was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying that hotel security guards were among the dead. A government security officer was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying hotel security guards were among the dead.
Al-Shabaab is battling Somalia's government for control of the country. While security in Somalia has improved, the group still attacks Mogadishu regularly.
On Saturday, a member of the Somali parliament and an official from the prime minister's office were killed in separate attacks in the capital claimed by al-Shabaab.
In recent days the group has lost two of its remaining strongholds - the south-western town of Bardere and the south-eastern town of Dinsor. Both had been under Shabaab control since 2008.
The militants have also targeted neighbouring countries, killing almost 150 people in an assault on Garissa University College in Kenya in April.