Six civilians and three members of the security forces were killed and 10 civilians injured in a six-hour attack by Islamist Shebab extremists on a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu, police said today.

“As a result of the attack, six civilians were killed … and another ten were injured. Three courageous members of the security forces also lost their lives,” the police said in a statement, saying 84 people at the Pearl Beach Hotel have been rescued and are safe.

Shebab claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they targeted a place frequented by officials.

Last night, local witnesses contacted by AFP reported gunshots near the building.

In August 2020, the Shebabs attacked Elite, another hotel on Lido Beach, and killed ten civilians and a police officer. It took the security forces four hours to take control of the building.

Shabaab, who has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda and seeks to impose his extreme version of Islamic law on the country, has been fighting the internationally backed federal government for more than 15 years.