Al-Shabaab attacked Syl hotel in Somalia’s capital after blasts, residents say

Al-Shabab fighters in Somalia raged a strongly secured hotel in downtown Mogadishu on Thursday evening, witnesses and officials said.

As one resident stated an explosion was ignited outside the SYL hotel. Minutes later, the eye witness said, he overheard gunfire from inside the hotel.

The al-Shabab militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, and its members were attacking inside the hotel.

Two security officers who did not want to be labeled also stated rebels had entered the hotel. One of the Somalis security officers said that multiple people had been injured in the incident, including officials and members of parliament.

The Somali government police have not yet made any comment on the attack.

The hotel, well known by citizens as well as politicians, has been the target of numerous al-Shabab attacks in the past.