Somali Forces End 30-hour Hotel Siege

World

August 21st, 6:34am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Somali security officers are seen at a section of Hotel Hayat, the scene of an al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group militant attack in Mogadishu, Somalia August 20, 2022. REUTERS/Feisal Omar

Somali forces have ended a siege at a hotel in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, an army officer told Reuters on Sunday, adding that they were still clearing explosives scattered around the building. At least 12 people, mostly civilians, were killed as Somalia's elite armed forces battled al Qaeda-linked militants for 30 hours after they blasted and shot their way into the Hayat Hotel on Friday evening. "We are still investigating the explosions of many plastic bags that have been scattered around the hotel," said Mohamed Ali, a military officer at the scene. The French news agency Agence France Presse earlier reported that all the gunmen had been killed, citing a security commander. "The security forces have ended the siege now and the gunmen are dead, we've had no incoming gunfire from the building in the past hour," the commander told AFP on condition of anonymity. Friday's attack was the first such major incident since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in May. The al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the attack. Al Shabaab has been fighting to topple the Somali government for more than 10 years. The Hayat is a hotel popular with lawmakers and other government officials.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3828251/somali-forces-end-30-hour-hotel-siege