At least 12 people have been killed in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, after Al Shabaab militants attacked and took control of a hotel popular with government officials.
Somali authorities continue their efforts to end the siege of the Hayat Hotel, which began with a series of explosions and gunfire.
"Two car bombs targeted Hotel Hayat. One hit a barrier near the hotel and then the other hit the gate of the hotel. We believe the fighters are inside the hotel," said a police officer who identified himself only as Ahmed.
Another officer, who identified himself to Reuters only as Mohammed, said most of the 12 confirmed dead were civilians.
Large sections of the hotel have been destroyed, with videos posted to social media showing smoke rising from the area surrounding the hotel.
Other unverified footage showed a crowd of people running from the scene.
The Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a translation by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors Jihadist group statements.
Al Shabaab has been fighting to topple the Somali government for more than 10 years. It wants to establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islamic law.
The Hayat Hotel is a popular venue with politicians and other government officials.
Police officers were conducting an operation aimed at stopping the attack, the state-run Somali National News Agency tweeted, citing a police spokesperson.
"The unsung heroes of Somali Police Special Unit have rescued many people from Hayat Hotel in Mogadishu as the security forces are dealing with terrorist incident," the agency later added.
The agency also posted a picture showing smoke billowing from above the scene.
Friday's attack is the first major attack since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in May.
Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for similar attacks in the past.
In August 2020, it said it was behind an attack on another hotel in Mogadishu in which at least 16 people were killed.
ABC/Wires
