Mogadishu

At least eight civilians were killed on Saturday as security forces continued to battle terrorist group Al-Shabab, which stormed a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

According to reports security forces continued to neutralise terrorists who have been cordoned inside a room in the hotel building, most of the people were rescued but at least eight civilians were confirmed dead.

The assault in the Somali capital came after two car bomb blasts and gunfire as the Al-qaeda linked armed group Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.

"Two car bombs targeted Hotel Hayat. One hit a barrier near the hotel and then the other hit the gate of the hotel," said a police officer.

The Hayat is a popular spot in Mogadishu in an area where several other hotels are located, and it is frequented by government officials and civilians.

Al-Shabab 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.

Earlier this week, the United States announced that its forces had killed 13 Al-Shabab fighters in an air raid in the central-southern part of the country as the group was attacking Somali forces.

Friday's attack is the first major assault since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in May.

Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for similar attacks in the past. In August 2020, it said it was behind a strike on another hotel in Mogadishu, in which at least 16 people were killed.

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Al-Shabab fighters were driven out of the capital in 2011 by an African Union force, but the armed group still controls vast swaths of countryside.