Bomb blast, gunfire at Somali hotel kill 3, wound 8

MOGADISHU, Somalia

At least three people were killed and eight others wounded when the terrorist group al-Shabaab attacked a popular hotel in the southern port city of Kismayo on Sunday, police said.

Mahad Abdi, a regional police officer in Kismayo, said the attack started with bombing followed by gunfire after al-Shabaab terrorists stormed Tawakal Hotel.

“We can confirm that at least three people, including school children, were killed in explosion,” Abdi told Anadolu Agency over the phone.

He added that the wounded people, mostly civilians, were rushed to hospitals for treatment.

Tawakal is a popular hotel frequented by Jubaland state officials and security officials.

Mahamed Nasi Guled, deputy police chief of Somalia’s southern Jubaland state, told reporters in Kismayo that the police believe that three attackers are inside the hotel battling with security forces who are trying to eliminate them.

He urged the public to stay calm.

Kismayo is a major city which is the administrative capital of Jubaland. The port city is located 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of Somali capital Mogadishu.

The al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab terrorist group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack and said it involved a suicide bombing before its fighters entered the hotel.

The attack comes as Somali military continues its offensive against the terrorist group in central region and said gained a significant ground from al-Shabaab.

Somalia has been grappling with security threats for years, with al-Shabaab being one of the main ones in the country.

Since at least 2007, al-Shabaab has waged a deadly campaign against the Somali government and international forces that has claimed thousands of lives.

The UN has warned of growing instability in the country, with its periodic reports on Somalia this year detailing attacks by al-Shabaab and groups aligned with the Daesh/ISIS terror group.

At least 1,242 civilians were killed in terrorist attacks in Somalia in 2018-2019, while 1,735 were injured, according to the UN in Somalia.