MOGADISHU (SD) – Reports from Mogadishu indicate that security officers and police in Banadir region were injured in an Hayat hotel attack, where fighting hours long fighting between Al-Shabaab and government forces took place today.

Reports say that the Security Commander of Banadir region, Muhuddin Warbac, was injured by the Shabaab gunmen who attacked the hotel.

The situation is still tense, heavy gunfire and explosions continues to be heard, while the government forces are having a though time as they try to end the attack, with the hotel’s electricity has been cut.

Reportedly there are many civilians inside the hotel are trapped there, and the security forces are making efforts to get those people out safely.

There is a reportedly heavy loss of life and injuries as a result of the explosions and gunfire in and outside the Hayat Hotel.

Al-Shabaab claimed in a statement that it killed more than 20 people in the hotel, but this group’s claim cannot be independently verified.

Somalia’s security agencies have yet to release any information about the deadly hotel attack.

This attack is the first by Al-Shabaab in a hotel in Mogadishu since President Hassan Sheikh was elected again on May 15, 2022.