According to security officer Ahmed Dahir, multiple gunmen breached the perimeter wall with a powerful explosion before entering the facility.
According to security officials and witnesses, the Al Shabab terrorist organization assaulted a well-known hotel close to the presidential palace in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
Gunmen assaulted the SYL hotel with a barrage of gunshots on Thursday at approximately 9:45 p.m. [1845 GMT], initiating the assault, for which Al Shabaab claimed responsibility.
Security officer Ahmed Dahir told the AFP news agency, “Several gunmen destroyed the perimeter wall with a heavy explosion and then forced their way into the building.”
It was unclear at first whether there had been any casualties.
Witnesses reported hearing random gunfire from the attackers.
Hassan Nur, who managed to flee by climbing a wall, stated, “I don’t know about the casualties, but there were many people inside when the attack started.”
Lethal insurgency
For more than 16 years, Al Shabab has been conducting an insurgency against the federal government, which is supported by the international community. The group frequently targets hotels because they frequently house high-ranking Somali and foreign officials.
Despite being forced out of the city by an African Union force, the group is still very much present in rural Somalia and continues to strike civilian and political targets on a regular basis, including in Mogadishu.
In August 2022, the embattled central government, along with regional clan militias, initiated a massive onslaught against Al Shabab.
However, after early successes, the offensive has encountered obstacles.
SOURCE: TRTWORLD
