Twenty-eight people were killed Wednesday when Al-Shabaab fighters struck a popular Mogadishu hotel, setting off two car bombs and opening fire on security guards, according to the city´s main ambulance service.
"The number of casualties we have recorded today is 28 dead and 43 wounded. This is what we have confirmed with our teams but there were also other ambulances which carried some casualties (but) I don´t know how many", said Dr Abukadir Abdirahman Adem, head of the ambulance service.
central Mogadishu, and then stormed inside exchanging gunfire with security guards.
The assault on Wednesday morning began when attackers rammed an explosives-packed car into the gate of Dayah Hotel, which is near Somalia's parliament in central Mogadishu, and then stormed inside A second massive car bomb blast went off after ambulances and journalists had arrived at the scene, leaving at least four reporters wounded, according to AFP news agency.
"We have confirmed 28 people died and 43 others were injured in the two blasts at the hotel," Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of the capital's ambulance services, told Reuters news agency.
Security Minister Abdirizak Umar told reporters at the scene that 51 people were wounded in the two blasts at the hotel.
Al Jazeera's Catherine Soi, reporting from Nairobi in neighbouring Kenya, said a freelance journalist working for Al Jazeera Arabic was among those wounded.
Colonel Abdiqadir Hussein, a police officer, told Reuters that security forces eventually managed to secure the building.
"We have rescued the people and concluded the operation at Dayah Hotel."
Witnesses said the powerful explosions caused extensive damage in the area near the hotel, shattering dozens of windows and damaging parked cars.
