Jihadist rebels drove a vehicle loaded with explosives into a Somalian hotel entrance before several armed men invaded the hotel and opened fire Sunday afternoon, the Associated Press reported.
At least seven people were wounded when the gunmen opened fire on staff and guests at the Afrik hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital city, the AP reported. Al-Shabab, a group of jihadist rebels based in Somalia, claimed responsibility for the attack.
“We know, they have changed nothing from their usual tactic, ramming explosives into a building and following up, assaulting with rifles,” police spokesperson Sadiq Adan Ali said, the AP reported.
Somalia’s al-Shabab rebels attack hotel in the capital city https://t.co/uRYeQn5bDt pic.twitter.com/eAssKtC1uA
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Police officials confirmed the attack but did not immediately comment on the number of people who were killed or injured in the attack, according to the AP. Gunfire could reportedly be heard coming from the hotel.
Government officials responded to the attack and police were able to rescue several people from the hotel including the owner and an army general, according to the AP. (RELATED: Man Charged For Allegedly Training To Hijack A Plane And Carry Out ‘9/11-Style Attack’ On US)
Al-Shabab is associated with al-Qaida and works to overthrow the internationally supported Somalian government, according to Aljazeera. The group frequently executed bomb attacks against government forces.
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