24 June, 2017
A restaurant in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, has been attacked by a suicide auto bomber killing at least 11 people, with the two gunmen have been killed and 10 hostages have been rescued after a hostage situation unfolded on Wednesday after reports of a vehicle bomb have been reported. Also inside the building, the body of a Syrian man who worked as a chef lay near the rubble of a blood-spattered and bullet-marked wall.
"The extremists, appearing to pose as security forces, then rushed inside the restaurant".
The al-Qaeda affiliated group admitted carrying out the attack early on Thursday.
The roofs were blown off the Pizza House restaurant and nearby buildings from the powerful blasts.
"So far, we can confirm that nine people - mostly women who were hotel staff - have died", said Mohamed Hussein, another police officer.
Al-Shabab regularly launches attacks on Somali military, government and civilian targets with bombings and shootings often increasing during the holy month of Ramadan.
However, five other attackers are thought to still be inside the restaurant with the electricity cut off, complicating attempts by the security forces to end the siege.
"The fighters are still inside Pizza House and they hold inside over 20 people".
Somalia has been a scene of deadly clashes between government forces and al-Shabab militants since 2006. Five of the gunmen were killed, Bashir added.
It has escalated its campaign and promised more attacks in the face of renewed military operations by the Somali government and United States. "The operation goes on", al-Shabaab spokesperson Abdiasis Abu Musab told the news agency.
A suicide auto bombing and assault by al-Shabaab militants on two neighbouring restaurants in Somalia's capital Mogadishu ended Thursday morning with 18 dead, a government spokesman said.
Somalis walk near destroyed vehicles at the scene of a auto bomb blast and gun battle targeting a restaurant in Mogadishu, Somalia Thursday, June 15, 2017.
However, the rapid and quick response of the security forces prevented further destruction and loss of life.
