Al-Shabaab terrorists attacked a hotel in central Somalia on Tuesday where a meeting aimed at countering the group was taking place, resulting in the deaths of nine civilians, according to security and police sources.
The assailants drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the hotel’s entrance in Beledweyne, located approximately 300 kilometres from the capital, Mogadishu, and opened fire on attendees inside.
“All the attackers have been eliminated,” said security official Hussein Ali.
He reported that nine civilian casualties included traditional elders but did not specify the number of militants who were killed.
“More than 10 other individuals, primarily civilians, sustained injuries,” he added.
Traditional elders and military personnel were convening at the hotel in the Hiran region to deliberate on initiatives to bolster the Somali government’s battle against the militant organisation.
Al-Shabaab took responsibility for the assault.
The extremist group has been at war with the government for over 15 years, executing fatal attacks in Mogadishu and other regions. While they were expelled from the capital by African Union troops in 2011, the group still maintains a presence in rural areas.
Somalia’s president has vowed to wage total war against Al-Shabaab. The military has allied with local militias in a campaign backed by an African Union force and U.S. air strikes.
