MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The Latest on explosions in Somalia’s capital (all times local): 1:30 a.m. Somalia’s president says the hotel assault still underway in the capital is meant to instill fear among people who showed unity in the wake
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The Latest on explosions in Somalia’s capital (all times local):
1:30 a.m.
Somalia’s president says the hotel assault still underway in the capital is meant to instill fear among people who showed unity in the wake of the country’s deadliest attack two weeks ago.
“They want to create fear among our people who showed support to the ongoing efforts aimed at pacifying the country,” President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed said in a statement.
Thousands marched in Mogadishu in defiance of extremist group al-Shabab after the Oct. 14 truck bombing in the capital left more than 350 dead.
Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for this latest attack, which has killed at least 23 people.
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1 a.m.
Police say security forces have rescued 30 people, including a government minister, from a hotel under attack in Somalia’s capital as heavy gunfire continues inside.
Capt. Mohamed Hussein spoke to The Associated Press from the scene as gunfire echoed in the background.
Security forces are in a standoff with at least two extremists early Sunday morning after the attack in Mogadishu began with a truck bombing outside the hotel gate.
At least 23 people were killed. The al-Shabab extremist group has claimed responsibility.
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11:25 p.m.
Police say the death toll in a truck bombing at a hotel in Somalia’s capital is now 23 after rescue workers found the bodies of a woman and three children, including a baby.
All were shot in the head, Capt. Mohamed Hussein says.
Police say attackers entered the hotel after the bombing in Mogadishu, and a gunbattle with security forces continued there late Saturday.
Police have said more than 20 people, including government officials, are thought to be trapped inside.
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11:15 p.m.
Security officials say the bomber who attacked a hotel in Somalia’s capital had pretended his truck had broken down outside the gate.
Police Col. Mohamed Abdullahi says the bomber stopped outside the heavily fortified hotel and pretended to repair the truck before finally turning it around and detonating.
At least 19 people were killed in the attack in Mogadishu, and a gunbattle continued between security forces and other attackers who entered the hotel after the blast.
The al-Shabab extremist group has claimed responsibility.
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9:10 p.m.
Police say the death toll is now 18 in an attack on a hotel in Somalia’s capital, and a gunbattle continues between security forces and the few remaining extremists holed up inside.
Capt. Mohamed Hussein says more than 30 people were wounded in Saturday’s attack that began when a suicide car bomb exploded outside the gates of the Nasa-Hablod hotel. It is frequented by politicians and other members of Mogadishu’s elite.
The al-Shabab extremist group has claimed responsibility.
The blast comes two weeks after more than 350 people were killed in a massive truck bombing on a busy Mogadishu street in the country’s worst-ever attack.
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7:50 p.m.
Police say more than 20 people, including government officials, are thought to be trapped inside a hotel in Somalia’s capital where security forces are trying to end a siege by al-Shabab extremists.
Capt. Mohamed Hussein says two of the five attackers have been killed.
At least 13 people are dead and more than 16 are wounded in the assault on the Nasa-Hablod hotel, which is frequented by politicians and other members of Mogadishu’s elite.
Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack that began with a suicide car bomb exploding outside the hotel gate.
The blast comes two weeks after more than 350 people were killed in a massive truck bombing on a busy Mogadishu street in the country’s worst-ever attack.
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7:15 p.m.
Police say a third blast has been heard at the scene of an attack on a popular hotel in Somalia’s capital.
Capt. Mohamed Hussein tells The Associated Press by telephone from the scene that an attacker detonated a suicide vest.
At least 13 people are dead and more than 16 are wounded in the assault on the Nasa-Hablod hotel, which is frequented by politicians and other members of Mogadishu’s elite.
The al-Shabab extremist group has claimed responsibility and says its fighters are still inside the hotel.
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6 p.m.
Police say the death toll in a suicide car bombing outside a popular hotel in Somalia’s capital has risen to 13, with more than 16 people wounded.
Capt. Mohamed Hussein says a senior Somali police colonel and a former lawmaker are among the dead.
The al-Shabab extremist group has quickly claimed responsibility for the suicide car bomb that detonated outside the Nasa-Hablod hotel, which is frequented by politicians and other members of Mogadishu’s elite.
Al-Shabab also claims that its fighters are inside the hotel, where gunfire can still be heard.
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6:45 p.m.
Police say at least 10 people are dead and more than 11 are wounded in an attack on a popular hotel in Somalia’s capital. Capt. Mohamed Hussein says the death toll could rise.
The al-Shabab extremist group has quickly claimed responsibility for the suicide car bomb that detonated outside the Nasa-Hablod hotel, which is frequented by politicians and other members of Mogadishu’s elite.
Al-Shabab also claims that its fighters are inside the hotel, where gunfire can still be heard.
The blast comes two weeks after more than 350 people were killed in a massive truck bombing on a busy Mogadishu street in the country’s worst-ever attack.
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6:30 p.m.
The al-Shabab extremist group has quickly claimed responsibility for a suicide car bomb that detonated outside a popular hotel in Somalia’s capital.
Police say at least two people are dead and more than eight others wounded in Saturday afternoon’s blast outside the Nasa-Hablod hotel, which is frequented by politicians and other members of Mogadishu’s elite.
Al-Shabab also claims that its fighters are inside the hotel, where gunfire can still be heard.
The blast comes two weeks after more than 350 people were killed in a massive truck bombing on a busy Mogadishu street in the country’s worst-ever attack.
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5:55 p.m.
A police officer says at least two people are dead and more than eight others are wounded after a suspected suicide car bomb detonated outside a hotel in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
Capt. Mohamed Hussein says gunfire can be heard inside the Nasa-Hablod hotel, which is frequented by politicians and other members of the city’s elite.
A second blast was heard in the area minutes after the first.
Saturday’s blast comes two weeks after more than 350 people were killed in a massive truck bombing on a busy Mogadishu street in the country’s worst-ever attack.
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5:35 p.m.
A Somali police officer says a suspected suicide car bomb has detonated near the gate of a hotel close to the presidential palace in Mogadishu.
Capt. Mohamed Hussein says gunfire could be heard inside the Nasa-Hablod hotel.
Saturday’s blast in Somalia’s capital comes two weeks after more than 350 people were killed in a massive truck bombing on a busy Mogadishu street in the country’s worst-ever attack.
The extremist group al-Shabab often targets high-profile areas of Mogadishu.
