Somalia: Twelve people were killed in fighting in the Somali army's al-Shabab, an intelligence official told Reuters on Saturday as al-Qaeda-linked militants attacked a hotel and occupied the area, at least in the capital Mogadishu. 12 people were killed. of Somalia. The officers were still fighting to break the siege.

On Friday night, attackers used two car bombs to break into the Hyatt Hotel before starting their shooting. Somalia's al-Shabaab rebels have taken ownership. hotels in mogadishu

According to Mohamed, an intelligence officer who gave only his first name, "So far we have confirmed 12 deaths, mostly civilians."

An official told Agence France-Presse that several civilians trapped in the building, including children, had been rescued. A huge crowd gathered in the area to know the condition of their loved ones.

According to witness Muday Ali, "We are looking for a relative of ours who was trapped inside the hotel, along with six others who were confirmed to have died, two of whom I know."

Eyewitnesses claimed that as government forces attempted to take control of the hotel from terrorists, explosions broke out in the night and a heavy plume of smoke spread over a busy intersection. He claimed that the fighting had completely destroyed large parts of the hotel.

By 7 a.m. (GMT) on Saturday, gunshots could be heard across the capital.
Friday's ambush was the first significant attack since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed took office in May after months of political unrest.

Police spokesman Abdifatah Aden Hassan told reporters late Friday that a suicide bomber who attacked the hotel along with other gunmen was responsible for the initial blast.

Several minutes after the first explosion, according to eyewitnesses, a second explosion occurred, injuring rescuers, security personnel and onlookers at the scene.

The Site Intelligence Group, which tracks statements from jihadist organizations, translated a statement by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group claiming responsibility.

The group claimed that "a group of al-Shabaab attackers made their way into the Hotel Hyatt in Mogadishu, and fighters are engaging in random shootings inside the hotel."

For nearly 15 years, it has waged a deadly rebellion against Somalia's weak central government. It seeks to enforce its own laws, using a strict interpretation of Islamic law.

Government officials and legislators often gather at the Hyatt Hotel. Who among them was involved in the siege was not immediately known.

The United States reported earlier this week that 13 al-Shabaab fighters were killed by its forces during an airstrike in the country's central-southern region, where Islamist rebels were battling Somali forces.

In recent weeks, the US has conducted several airstrikes against terrorists.

President Joe Biden reversed his predecessor Donald Trump's decision to withdraw a majority of the US military by ordering him to reestablish a US military presence in Somalia in May to assist local authorities in fighting al-Shabaab.

Recent attacks on the Somalia-Ethiopia border by al-Shabaab fighters have raised concerns about a possible new jihadist strategy.

Al-insurgency Shabaab needs to end according to Somalia's new president, Mohamed, who said last month that his country would only engage in talks with the organization at an appropriate time.

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