Mogadishu – In a brazen attack on Friday, the Al-Qaeda-linked extremist group Al-Shabab launched a complex attack on a hotel in the Somali capital, leaving scores of people dead and injured.
The assailants began their attack with a suicide bombing at the gate of the Pearl Beach Hotel, followed by armed gunmen storming the premises.
The Pearl Beach, a popular destination for Mogadishu residents seeking a weekend retreat, was packed with guests at the time of the attack.
Witnesses told the Horn Examiner that dozens of people are trapped inside the hotel, with security forces engaged in a tense standoff with the militants.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes amid the sounds of heavy gunfire and explosions reverberating through the hotel building as the security forces battled militants holed up inside to rescue civilians and end the ongoing siege.
Amidst the ongoing siege, government troops have managed to rescue dozens of civilians and officials who were trapped inside the building, in the middle a fierce gun battle and occasional explosions, officials confirmed.
Among the officials thus far rescued is Mohamed Abukar Zubeyr, the Permanent Secretary of the Somali Prime Minister’s Office, according to official sources.
However, reports suggest that at least one District Commissioner is among many still trapped inside the compound, as the siege continues to unfold.
Al-Shabab has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack which sent shockwaves across the Horn of Africa nation.
Somali government officials were not immediately available for comment on the ongoing siege which created panic and sent beachgoers and guests at the beachside hotels running for safety
Mogadishu, which is recovering from decades of conflict a d chaos has frequently been targeted by the Al-Shabab which is fighting to overthrow the Somali government in an attempt to impose its harsh and oppressive rule.
The latest attack serves as a stark reminder of the formidable threat posed by the group in the country and highlights the major challenges faced by the Somali government in its efforts to restore peace and stability into the troubled nation.
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