The car-bomb blast came about 4.30pm and produced a large column of smoke over the Nasa-Hablod Hotel in Mogadishu, frequented by politicians, and sporadic gunfire continued to be heard in the hours after the explosion.
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The group lost its foothold in the capital in 2011 but continues its battle to overthrow the Somali government and launches regular attacks on military, government and civilian targets like hotels and restaurants in Mogadishu and elsewhere. Among those killed were civilians, security guards and the attackers themselves.
Gunmen on Saturday took hostages inside a hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, after a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle outside the building, the Associated Press reported.
The official gave no details of any casualties and there was no immediate comment from al Shabaab, which frequently carries out attacks in the capital in its bid to topple the Western-backed government.
Islamic extremist group Al Shabab claimed responsibility for the latest in a series of hotel assaults in Mogadishu.
“Members from the raiding brigades carried out a pre-planned attack on Nasa Hablood hotel in Mogadishu, and the mujahideen fighters have managed to fully take control of the hotel”, said an al-Shabab statement read on the local Radio Andalus station. “I escaped through the back door”.
Ali Hassan, a police officer, told Reuters: “At least seven people died in the blast and 10 others were wounded”.
“We have finally ended the siege”.
“There is heavy fire going on inside the hotel, it started after the massive explosion but we can not know what is going on”, Abdihafid Mudey, who lives near the hotel, told AFP.
An ambulance driver called Yusuf Ali said he evacuated 11 wounded people to hospitals and that a lot of them had been injured in crossfire, according to The Associated Press.
Following years of conflict, Somalia is preparing for parliamentary and presidential elections later this year.
Extremists often step up terror attacks during Ramadan globally and in Somalia. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility.
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The assaults in Mogadishu have highlighted the challenges facing the Somali government and African Union forces that are struggling to secure the country. A auto bomb outside a restaurant in the capital in April killed at least five.
