Two Somalian Lawmakers Among 16 Killed in Al Shabaab Suicide Blast

The attack took place at the Ambassador Hotel in Somalian capital Mogadishu.

Vehicles burn at the scene a bomb attack on an hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia Wednesday, 1 June 2016. (Photo: AP)

Sixteen people were killed and fifty five were wounded in a car bomb and shooting attack on a hotel in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Wednesday by militants of terror outfit al Shabaab. Among the dead were two lawmakers, the police said.

Lawmakers Mohamud Mohamed and Abdullahi Jamac died in the hotel. They lived in it. Many other people including lawmakers were rescued. The (security) operation is about to end now. So far the death toll we have is 15 dead and 20 others wounded.

Major Ibrahim Hassan, Police Officer

The attack took place on the Ambassador hotel, which is often frequented by government officials and business executives.

Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman, told Reuters that they lost three fighters during the hotel attack.

Earlier, Reuters witnesses said that sporadic gunfire continued at the hotel early Thursday morning, with Police still combing the building’s five floors for militants and to rescue those still trapped.

The building was extensively damaged during the attack and government forces had blocked off all the main roads near the scene.