25 killed, 30 injured in Somalia hotel attack

Mogadishu: As many as 25 people were on Saturday killed and 30 others injured following a suicide attack outside a popular hotel in Somalia's Mogadishu.

The mishap reportedly took place at around 5 PM outside the Nasahablod 2 Hotel ahead of a high-level ministerial meeting scheduled to start from Sunday.

"The death toll rises to 25 people including police, hotel guards and residents. The death toll may rise. We suspect some other militants disguised themselves and escaped with the residents who were rescued," police officer Major Mohamed Hussein said. 

"Three militants were captured alive and two others blew up themselves after they were shot," he added. 

Nearly 30 people, including a government minister, were rescued from the hotel as gunfire continued between extremists and security forces.

The militants stormed the building after the bomb had destroyed its defences.

A second explosion also went off shortly after the first in the same location.

According to witnesses, the explosion went off just when a truck tried to tow a small vehicle from the scene as rescue teams were trying to gain access into the hotel.

Following the attack, Islamist group Al-Shabab claimed the responsibility.

The incident comes two weeks after more than 350 people were killed in a truck bombing on a busy Mogadishu street, the worst single explosion in the history of the Somalian capital. 

(With inputs from agencies)