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Large explosion heard in Somali capital Mogadishu Somalia's SYL hotel in Mogadishu 'stormed by al-Shabab'
(35 minutes later)
A large explosion has been heard in central Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Al-Shabab militants have stormed a heavily-fortified hotel in central Mogadishu and are now "in control", the group told the BBC.
Two large explosions. believed to be car bombs, were heard near the Somali Youth League (SYL) hotel.
Police say they are attending the scene but there are not yet reports of any casualties.Police say they are attending the scene but there are not yet reports of any casualties.
It comes a day after a mortar attack on the presidential palace in Mogadishu in which three people were killed. Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, is waging an armed insurgency in the country.
The al-Shabab militant group, an al-Qaeda affiliate that is waging an insurgency in the country, has said it carried out that attack. The BBC's Ibrahim Aden in Mogadishu said that he could hear shooting.
Our reporter says 40 minutes after the first car bomb went off, another explosion of the same magnitude was heard.
A popular park, known as the Peace Garden, is also reported to have come under attack.
Al-Shabab spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters news agency that the attack started with a car bomb followed by a gun attack on the hotel.
"We are inside it [the hotel] and fighting continues," he said.
It is not unusual for al-Shabab to launch attacks in Mogadishu on Fridays, the first day of the Somali weekend.
The operation comes a day after a mortar attack on the presidential palace in Mogadishu in which three people were killed.
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