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| Luxury hotel close to presidential palace STORMED by militants in Somalia, gunfight ensues (VIDEO) | Luxury hotel close to presidential palace STORMED by militants in Somalia, gunfight ensues (VIDEO) |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A group of armed militants are laying siege to the SYL Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, according to eyewitness reports of gunfire and explosions at the scene. The luxury hotel is frequented by government officials and politicians. | A group of armed militants are laying siege to the SYL Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, according to eyewitness reports of gunfire and explosions at the scene. The luxury hotel is frequented by government officials and politicians. |
| Somalia-based Islamist group Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to local reports. Witnesses say heavy gunfire can still be heard within the premises, though it’s not clear how many people are inside. Some also said the attackers – four to five militants – had donned Somali security personnel uniforms. | |
| "We thought they were police but they started hurling grenades and firing us when they neared and so we exchanged fire at the gate of the hotel," a police officer told Reuters. | "We thought they were police but they started hurling grenades and firing us when they neared and so we exchanged fire at the gate of the hotel," a police officer told Reuters. |
| One MP who escaped from the scene told others there were casualties, but this has not yet been confirmed. | One MP who escaped from the scene told others there were casualties, but this has not yet been confirmed. |
| Somali security forces claim to have killed three of the attackers and say they managed to evacuate officials from the hotel as the attack got underway. | Somali security forces claim to have killed three of the attackers and say they managed to evacuate officials from the hotel as the attack got underway. |
| Al-Shabab targeted the hotel in a devastating car bomb attack in February 2016, killing 14 people including five militants and causing enormous damage to nearby buildings. | Al-Shabab targeted the hotel in a devastating car bomb attack in February 2016, killing 14 people including five militants and causing enormous damage to nearby buildings. |
| DETAILS TO FOLLOW | DETAILS TO FOLLOW |