mogadishu
CNN
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Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group linked to Al Qaeda, has launched a suicide attack and stormed a central Mogadishu hotel. of Somalia ministers and members of parliament, Somali police said on Sunday.
According to police, al-Shabaab carried out the suicide attack on the Villa Rose hotel near Somalia’s presidential palace at 8 p.m. local time (noon ET).
Captain Bisher Ahmed confirmed to CNN that there was a major attack at the hotel, which is located in a heavily guarded area of Mogadishu that is also home to the State House, ministries and a high-security secret prison.
State Environment Minister Adam Av Hirsi said he narrowly escaped the attack.
Police have not released details about the number of casualties. Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Somalia’s armed forces, supported by the United States, conducting military operations against the group since August in parts of southern and central Somalia.
In May, US President Joe Biden decided to redeploy troops to Somalia in support of the local government and to counter al-Shabaab. The move reversed a decision by former President Donald Trump to withdraw all US troops from the country.