MOGADISHU - At least 19 people were killed when Islamist militants launched a auto bomb and gun attack on a busy hotel and adjacent restaurant in the Somali capital, a police officer said on Thursday.
Gunmen then entered the Pizza House restaurant next door, seizing hostages.
Spokesperson for the Somali security forces, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud said the siege ended Thursday morning and investigation is ongoing, state news agency SONNA reported.
Once again, the terrorists, in the same cowardly manner, targeted civilians at a popular restaurant with a vehicle improvised explosive device, killing and injuring innocent people.
"The fighters are still inside the Pizza House (restaurant) and they are holding over 20 people".
On Thursday, al Shabaab killed 59 people in an attack on a military base in the semi-autonomous Puntland region in northern Somalia. Find us on Facebook too! Another picture showed relatives of the victims killed in the attack weeping outside the building.
"You can not recognise this area", said Hawa Ahmed, a local resident and a regular at Pizza House, who had opted not to visit last night.
DUP agreement will end 'no deal' Brexit talk
We've set out very clearly the fact that her government is in default of the Good Friday Agreement and successor agreements. Ms Foster dismissed suggestions her deal with the Tories threatened the peace process.
The attack began Wednesday evening a auto bomb exploded at the gate to the restaurant and then gunmen posing as military forces stormed into the establishment. The soldiers stormed the ground floor as insurgent snipers held positions upstairs.
Al-Shabab regularly launches attacks on Somali military, government and civilian targets with bombings and shootings often increasing during the holy month of Ramadan.
But military efforts to regain control of the Pizza House restaurant were slowed by the darkness of night, forcing soldiers to wait until morning, Police Captain Mohamed Hussein said.
Police said they had rescued 10 people from the besieged restaurant, but an unknown number of hostages are still trapped inside.
According to reports, Islamist militants from the al-Shabab group have claimed responsibility for the devious events that happened in Somalia.
The bodies of five girls were found in the restaurant, police said.
Al-Shabaab usually provides a higher death toll from its attacks than the government's figures.
Comments