Two hotels in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu were attacked by militants belonging to the terror group al Shabaab that resulted in the death of six civilians and four militants.
The attack on the two hotels, the Wehliya and Siyaad, at 18:10 local time occured when the places were said to be busy with customers who arrived to break their Ramadan fast. Another African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) was also attacked.
The militants were said to have rammed a car full of explosives into at least one of the hotels. The militant group is fighting against Somalia’s Western-backed government that is supported and protected by 22,000 African Union force personnel.
Police officer Umar Ali was quoted saying: "Three fighters have been shot dead and another blew himself up inside the car bomb that hit the gate. The operation here is finished. So far we know six civilians died."
The US Department of State condemned the attacks and said in a statement: "Through these murders, al Shabaab once again has demonstrated its brutality and its complete rejection of a Somali society free of violence and oppression.
"The US remains committed to working with the Somali people, their government and international partners to continue forward in progress, prosperity and stability."
The well-known hotels are located in the center of the capital and said to be frequented by top government officials. While the Siyaad hotel is located near the presidential palace, the Wehliya is located close to parliament.
