At least 12 dead in Mogadishu hotel siege, hostages taken

Record ID: 1685570

  • Title: At least 12 dead in Mogadishu hotel siege, hostages taken
  • Date: 20th August 2022
  • Summary: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (AUGUST 20, 2022) (REUTERS) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) SMOKE RISING FROM HOTEL / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE MEN WITH GUNS ON HOTEL BALCONY / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE MEN WALKING OUTSIDE HOTEL VARIOUS OF ARMED MEN ON BALCONY / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE / SIGN READING (English) 'Hayat Hotel'
  • Embargoed: 3rd September 2022 14:14
  • Keywords: Somalia attack gunfire hotel militants security
  • Location: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
  • City: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
  • Country: Somalia
  • Topics: Africa,Conflicts/War/Peace,Editors' Choice
  • Reuters ID: LVA001966720082022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: At least 12 people have been killed in Somalia's capital Mogadishu after al Qaeda-linked militants attacked a hotel, seizing hostages that authorities were battling to free nearly 20 hours later, an intelligence officer said on Saturday (August 20).
    The attackers blasted their way into the Hayat Hotel on Friday evening with two car bombs before opening fire in an attack claimed by Somalia's al Shabaab insurgents.
    An intelligence officer told Reuters 12 people, mostly civilians had died.
    The gunmen were holding an unknown number of hostages on the second floor of the facility, the officer added, preventing authorities from using heavy weapons.
    They had also bombed out the stairs to make it harder to access certain floors, he said.
    The detonations sent huge plumes of smoke over the busy junction on Friday night, and the sound of gunfire still crackled across the capital on Saturday.
    Friday's assault was the first major attack since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in May.
    The al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a translation by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist group statements.
    Al Shabaab has been fighting to topple the Somali government for more than 10 years. It wants to establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islamic law.
    The Hayat Hotel is a popular venue with lawmakers and other government officials.
    (Production: Feisal Omar, Edward Baran)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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