Al Shabaab members attack hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital; kills 5

Some gunmen suspected to be members of the militant group, Al Shabaab attacked a hotel in Somalia’s capital near the presidential residence on Tuesday, killing 5 people. 

Police said they killed two of the gunmen and rescued dozens of people from inside.

The Deputy Security Commissioner-General Zakia Hussein disclosed that two of the gunmen met their death as they launched the attack outside the hotel, while two others stormed inside. Hussein added that security forces rescued 82 people which included several officials.

In a Twitter post by the Deputy Commissioner, she warned people not to call their relatives who may be in the hotel while the operation was ongoing. See the tweet below:

This is not the first time the militant group would launch an attack in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. In fact, the group had regularly attacked the city in a to topple the government. The group had also attacked the hotel in 2016.

A witness told News Central TV that security forces at the hotel had mistaken the gunmen for police as they approached until they started shooting and throwing bombs.

Another witness narrated how he heard gunfire inside the hotel late into the night on Tuesday.

 “I saw security personnel evacuating people through the back wall using ladders. People where scampering for safety” he continued.

The militant group once controlled most parts of the capital but lost its strongholds when they were forced out of the city in 2011.