WASHINGTON â Gunmen stormed a hotel in the Somali city of Beledweyne on Tuesday, leaving at least five people dead and triggering an ongoing siege, according to witnesses and a Somali lawmaker.
In an interview with VOA Somali, federal lawmaker Dahir Amin Jesow said local elders and government officials were meeting at the Qahira Hotel in central Somalia.
They attacked the hotel at dawn this morning, with an explosion and then gunmen stormed it. At least five people including two well-respected elders were killed, and five others were injured, Jesow said.
A VOA reporter in the town said at least six people have been confirmed dead, while the siege continues.
The reporter said Somali security forces backed by Djiboutian soldiers, who are part of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somaila, AUSSOM, and units of Ethiopian soldiers could be seen surrounding the hotel.
Local media reports say the death toll may be higher â up to 10 fatalities, including five al-Shabab militants, who were involved in the assault, and government soldiers.
Plumes of smoke from the explosions could be seen throughout the town, and an eyewitness said there has been ongoing gunfire.
We can still hear sporadic gunfire from the hotel as some militants are still resisting and fighting with the security forces, said Mohamed Qoone, a resident who witnessed the attack.
Video circulating on social media shows parts of the Qahira Hotel reduced to rubble.
The Islamist militant group al-Shabab immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the group said it had killed more than 10 people.
The group frequently conducts bombings and gun assaults in Somalia, aiming to topple the government and impose its strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.
This attack follows an operation conducted by Somalias National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) just hours earlier, which resulted in the deaths of 16 al-Shabab militants, including key leaders and fighters.
According to NISA, The operation dealt a significant blow to al-Shabab, eliminating key members of the group. In addition to the fatalities, the operation also led to the destruction of combat vehicles used by the militants.
Somali government soldiers, supported by local clan militias and the U.S. military, are conducting operations against al-Shabab in central Somalia, focusing on the Middle Shabelle and Hiran regions.
VOAs Sahra Abdi Ahmed contributed to this report.
