Somalia’s security forces are conducting an operation to neutralise fighters belonging to al-Shabab who attacked a hotel in the capital Mogadishu, the state news agency says, while the group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack on the popular upmarket Pearl Restaurant, on the capital’s Lido Beach, happened early on Friday evening and has wounded at least seven people, the capital’s ambulance service said.
“Security forces are currently conducting an operation to neutralise al-Shabab militants who attacked civilians at a hotel on Lido beach in Mogadishu,” Somali National News Agency said on Twitter.
“Many civilians have been rescued from the scene and the operation is ongoing.”
Hussein Mohamed, a waiter at another restaurant nearby, told Reuters he heard a blast followed by gunfire when the attack started.
“The whole area is cordoned by forces,” he said.
Abdikadir Abdirahman, the director of Aamin Ambulance Services, said they had so far received seven people who had been wounded at the hotel.
“We are still there for service,” he said.
Al-Shabab said it was behind the attack.
“The Mujahideen managed to enter the Pearl beach and are still fully in control,” the group said in a statement.
In November, the group, which controls swathes of the country, attacked another hotel in Mogadishu, killing nine people.
Al-Shabab once controlled a vast area of Somalia before being pushed back in government counteroffensives since last year.
However, the militants remain capable of launching significant attacks on government, commercial and military targets.
In late May, its fighters attacked a base housing Ugandan peacekeepers 130km southwest of Mogadishu, killing 54 soldiers.
Australian Associated Press