At least three dead in ongoing attack in south Somalia hotel

According to authorities and a witness, at least three people have died in an ongoing attack on a hotel on Sunday in southern Somalia.

“Terrorist attackers stormed Hotel Tawakal this afternoon and there is ongoing fighting inside the building now between the security forces and the terrorists,” police officer Abdullahi Ismail told AFP.

“There are fatalities and three civilians were confirmed dead but it is very difficult to say the exact number of the casualties now.”

“This is not a government target,” he added. “It is just an ordinary, civilian-frequented hotel.”

Witness Farhan Hassan said: “A suicide bomber drove a vehicle onto the entrance of the hotel before the gunmen entered the building.

“Shooting started inside and it looks (like) the gunmen were randomly shooting people inside.”

“I saw the dead bodies of three people recovered near the main entrance but we don’t know the number of those who may have been killed inside.”

Hassan said gunfire could still be heard inside the hotel.