The attack on a hotel in Mogadishu by Islamist Shebab fighters, which lasted 30 hours until Saturday night, killed at least 21 civilians, according to a new official report released on Sunday.
The assault is the bloodiest in the Somali capital since new President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud took office in June and is putting pressure on the federal government, appointed in early August after months of political instability.
Health Minister Ali Haji Adan “confirmed at this stage (the balance of) 21 dead and 117 wounded” in the attack on the Hayat hotel.
More than 100 people rescued
On Sunday, the relatives of the disappeared persons awaited news after the attack with a bomb explosion and firing of firearms perpetrated by Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group that has been active for 15 years and continues to be a great threat to federal authorities.
The security forces ended the night from Saturday to Sunday to the assault launched on Friday night, announcing the death of all the attackers.
Rescue teams were trying to find possible survivors in the rubble on Sunday morning, while the surroundings of the closed-access hotel were quiet and experts worked to detect possible explosives. The hotel was heavily damaged during the clash between Al-Shabaab and security forces, with parts of the building collapsing.
Police Commissioner Abdi Hassan Mohamed Hijar told reporters on Sunday that “106 people, including women and children,” were rescued by security forces during the siege that ended around midnight. “The victims were affected mainly in the first hours of the attack,” he added.
Source: BFM TV
