Thursday March 14, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - Suspected al-Shabab militants stormed the SYL hotel in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, following multiple bomb explosions and gunfire, according to a security official on Thursday night.
The popular SYL hotel is located close to the presidential palace in Mogadishu and has been the site of several previous attacks by the militant insurgency group, including a similar attack in 2019.
The hotel is also home to numerous federal lawmakers.
Several Somali lawmakers, police officials, the spokesperson for the Federal Government of Somalia, and the Director of Communications and PR at the Prime Minister’s office, Farhan Mohamed Jimale, are among those injured in the ongoing attack at the hotel.
The commander of Turkish-trained police special unit Haramcad, Abdihamid Abdullahi Fanah, was reportedly wounded in the ongoing attack.
According to sources, federal MP Osman Yusuf Hoosh, who represents Puntland, was also wounded in the attack.
Dozens of lawmakers and journalists are believed to be trapped inside the besieged hotel.
Government forces are actively battling the Al-Shabaab fighters inside the hotel
There was no immediate word on casualties.
Security in the capital has been heightened since the start of the holy month of Ramadan and as a result has seen a reduction in attacks in recent weeks.
Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channel.
This story is developing.