Al Shabab suicide attack on Mogadishu hotel in Somalia kills 11

Zee Media Bureau Mogadishu: A hotel in Somalia`s capital Mogadishu was hit by two deadly car suicide bombings on Wednesday killing 11 people. The attack was claimed by al Qaeda-linked militant group al Shabab. The terrorists detonated two cars-laden with explosives outside Jazeera hotel near international airport, which is frequently visited by high-profile Somali politicians and foreigners. The second explosion took place within minutes after the first explosion and it killed security forces that were helping the victims of the first blast, said reports. Of 11 killed, four were members of security forces. "The number of dead is 11, with 18 others who were wounded," police commander Abdi Mohamed Jama said. He added that the situation is back to normal as "mine experts have cleared the area for any possible explosive devices". The attack was condemned by PM Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, who tweeted that the terrorists continued the year 2014 with violence.

Terrorists have started 2014 as they finished 2013 with indiscriminate violence & killings. Will only serve to unite #Somalia against them

— @SomaliPM (@SomaliPM) January 1, 2014

The hotel was also earlier attacked in December 2012, when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was staying there. Al Shabab has been branded as a banned terrorist outfit by both the US and the UK but still has under its control some rural areas of the country where it has imposed Sharia law.