9 Killed After Al-Shabaab Fighters Attack Mogadishu Hotel

http://www.matthewaid.com/post/114771702996/9-killed-after-al-shabaab-fighters-attack

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Al-Shabab militants blasted their way into a Mogadishu hotel and took positions inside, exchanging fire with security forces seeking to regain control of the facility late Friday, a Somali police official said.

At least four gunmen had trapped an unknown number of people inside the building, Capt. Mohamed Hussein told The Associated Press.

Al-Shabab, the al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremist group that has carried out many attacks here, claimed responsibility for the assault on the Maka Al-Mukarramah hotel, which is popular with Somali government officials and foreigners.

Some people jumped out of the hotel’s windows, and one who made it safely outside said the gunmen were killing anyone they could find.