A horrific attack was stopped by Somali authorities on Sunday, when gunmen stormed a hotel in the capital of Somalia, that left 21 people dead and numerous others injured.
The fighters who attacked Mogadishu’s Hayat Hotel on Friday evening in an assault that began with loud explosives took more than 30 hours for Somali forces to subdue.
According to police commissioner Abdi Hassan Hijar, the siege ended at midnight. According to Mr. Hijar, a total of 106 people—including women and children—were saved throughout the siege, which came to an end at midnight.
Dr. Ali Haji Adam, the health minister, reported 21 fatalities and 117 injuries, with at least 15 of those suffering from serious injuries. Some victims might not have been taken to hospitals, he said.
Police have not yet provided a thorough account of how the attack took place, and it is still unknown how many gunmen actually entered the hotel.
Security personnel are still working to evacuate the area, according to the hotel’s manager, Ismail Abdi. After 9 am local time, no more gunfire could be heard. On Sunday morning, onlookers gathered outside the hotel’s gates to inspect the situation.
Attack’s perpetrators were identified as the Islamic terrorist organisation al-Shabaab.
