Somali Forces End Deadly Militant Siege of Mogadishu Hotel

At least five people have died in the hours-long attack on a Mogadishu hotel by Somalia’s al-Shabab group that was ended early Monday by security forces, according to the Somali police force.

The siege of the Afrik hotel ended after a gunbattle that lasted for more than eight hours, and all four attackers were killed, Somali police spokesman Sadiq Adan Ali said.

The extremists exploded hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades in their attempt to repulse the police forces who were closing in on them, he said.

In addition to those killed, 15 people were injured and have been hospitalized, health authorities said.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.

Among the dead are Gen. Mohamed Nur Galal, a well-known retired army veteran who lived in the hotel. Another general and more than 100 civilians were rescued from the hotel, which is near the strategic K-4 junction on the road to the capital city’s international airport, said Ali.

The road leading to the airport was reopened Monday morning and forces cleaned the debris caused by the explosion of a vehicle at the entrance to the hotel.

Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and the country’s prime minister condemned the attack and sent their condolences to the families of the victims.

Al-Shabab has been waging a violent insurgency across the Horn of Africa country seeking to unseat the internationally backed government in Mogadishu.