At least six civilians were killed and 10 injured in a six-hour siege by Islamist Al-Shabaab militants at a beachside hotel in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, police said Saturday.
The Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists have been waging an insurgency against the internationally backed federal government for more than 15 years and have often targeted hotels, which tend to host high-ranking Somali and foreign officials, reports AFP.
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire and explosions at the hotel on Lido beach.
The assault, for which Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility, began just before 8 pm on Friday when seven attackers stormed the Pearl Beach hotel, a popular spot at Lido Beach along Mogadishu's coastline.
It ended at around 2 am, after a fierce gunfight between security forces and the militants, all of whom were killed during the battle.
"The security forces managed to rescue 84 people including women and children and elderly people."
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
