At least 12 killed in Somalia hotel siegeMOGADISHU: At least 12 people have been killed in Somalia's capital Mogadishu after al Shabaab militants attacked a hotel leading to a siege that authorities are still trying to end, an intelligence officer said on Saturday. Sounds of explosions punctuated the night as government forces tried to wrest control of the hotel back from the militants, witnesses said. 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. The Hayat Hotel is a popular venue with lawmakers and other government officials but there was no immediate information if any of them had been caught up in the siege.

Source: Bangkok Post August 20, 2022 14:38 UTC