Somalia: Al-Shabab Attacks Hotel Near Presidential Palace

March 14, 2024 Hour: 7:27 pm

On Thursday, the Al-Shabab terrorist group attacked a luxury hotel near the presidential palace in the Somali capital city of Mogadishu.

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The paramilitary group set off an explosion and then deployed their fighters. According to the witnesses in the scene, the hotel was the target of a heavy gunfire by the extremist group.

The director of Communications and Public Relations of the Federal Government of Somalia, Farhan Mohamed Jimale, was wounded during the attack, as were several legislators and police.

This is the first time that this terrorist group has organized and carried out an attack on that scale and, above all, in the capital.

Heavy gunfire and explosions continues inside the SYL hotel which is under Al-Shabab attack.

The hotel, near the heavily guarded Somalia’s Presidential Palace in #Mogadishu came under attack few minutes ago.
Senior Somali government officials & civilians are trapped inside. pic.twitter.com/UAIHDiS2vW

— Suleiman Koronto (@SuleimanSabdow2)
March 14, 2024

Al-Shabab is one of the most active branches of Al-Qaeda in North Africa, especially in Somalia.

The militant group has been active for more than 16 years and are known for crimes such as the kidnapping of Cuban doctors Assel Herrera Correa and Landy Rodríguez Hernández.

“The Youth”, which is the translation of its name, seeks to overthrow the federal government of Somalia, which is backed by the UN and impose a mujahidin government.

The Cuban government thanks #Kenya for providing information on the possible death of Assel Herrera Correa and Landy Rodríguez Hernández, doctors kidnapped in Somalia in 2019.https://t.co/5KlKk7C18c

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish)
February 26, 2024