• Al-Shababab, an affiliate of al-Qaeda, has launched an attack on a hotel in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
• At least eight civilians have been killed and nine injured, security officials say.
• Terrorists are believed to be holed up inside the Hotel Hayat.

Ten individuals, according to security officials, were killed when al-Shabab extremists raided a hotel in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

According to the police, the terrorists set up two explosives outside the hotel before breaking in and starting to shoot.

Hours after the attack started, they were reportedly holed up on the top floor of the Hotel Hayat.

Numerous visitors and employees of the hotel are alleged to have been rescued by a specialised police squad.

“The security forces continued to neutralise terrorists who have been cordoned inside a room in the hotel building. Most of the people were rescued, but at least eight civilians were confirmed dead so far,” said an official, Mohamed Abdikadir.

A website connected to al-Shabab had earlier claimed that a gang of terrorists had “forcibly entered” the hotel and were “carrying out random shooting.”

According to reports, federal employees frequently congregate at The Hayat.

According to the head of Mogadishu’s Aamin ambulance services, Abdikadir Abdirahman, nine individuals were hurt and taken from the hotel.

Unconfirmed pictures making the rounds on social media appeared to show smoke coming out of the hotel as screams and loud noises are audible.

“Two car bombs targeted Hotel Hayat,” a police officer told the Reuters news agency in a statement. “One hit a barrier near the hotel, and then the other hit the gate of the hotel. We believe the fighters are inside the hotel.”

Al-Shabab, an affiliate of al-Qaeda, has been at odds with the central government for a very long time.

The group has been able to expand its influence into regions under the control of the Mogadishu-based government while still maintaining control over much of southern and central Somalia.

Concerns regarding a potential new tactic by al-Shabab have been raised in recent weeks as a result of fighters connected to the organisation attacking areas near the border between Somalia and Ethiopia.

Since Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Somalia’s new president, was elected in May, the group has carried out just one attack in the nation’s capital, on Friday.

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