Somali forces end 20 hour hotel siege, free 60 people
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Hashim Sheikh
- . November 29, 2022
- . Update: November 29, 2022 8:44 pm
Somali forces have stormed a hotel in the capital, Mogadishu, ending the more than 20 hour old siege by Islamic extremists who had occupied the hotel and killed eight civilians. Police spokesperson Sadik Dodishe said “all six extremists died during the operation at the Villa Rosa hotel, and one member of the security forces was also killed”.
Dodishe added that about 60 people who were trapped in the hotel had been freed and none was injured. It is not clear if anyone has been missing. At least one minister, Mohamed Ahmed, is reported to have been injured while Environment Minister Adam Aw Hirsi, told reporters he had survived the attack.
Speaking to the BBC Mr. Hirsi said describing the initial blast impact, “We prayed evening prayers in the small mosque in the hotel and there is this big explosion, deafening explosion, massive, that shattered glass everywhere, that shook the foundation of the building in which we were meeting.” He added, “As soon as the explosion took place we had a 120 seconds leeway between the explosion and the terrorist foot soldiers coming.”
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Islamic extremist group al-Shabab has claimed the responsibility for the attack. The assault on Mogadishu’s hotel located near the presidential palace reiterates the continuing ability of the militants allied to al-Qaida to stage deadly attacks inside the capital, despite regular offensive against them pressed by the government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Al-Shabab said on Sunday in a broadcast on its own radio frequency that its fighters attacked the hotel in capital Mogadishu which has a restaurant that is known to popular among government and security officials. The Villa Rays hotel is not far from the presidential palace, Villa Somalia, in one of the most protected parts of central Mogadishu. A successful attack near the seat of the federal government is likely to instill deep fear among residents of the seaside capital that has long been prone to attacks by militants, as noted by The Associated Press.
