A hotel in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu, was attacked by Al-Shabab militants on Sunday. The hotel, Villa Rose, is known to host government officials. Shortly after the attack, the Environmental Minister of Somalia Adam Aw Hirsi stated he had survived. There are unconfirmed reports that Somalia’s internal security minister was injured.
The Islamist group has been active in Somalia for over 15 years. The group had an unknown number of assailants armed with explosives and guns involved in the attack on the hotel. Some of the government officials in the building were rescued after escaping through windows. In August, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pledged war against the Islamist militants after an attack on a different hotel where 20 people were killed. Al-Shabab also claimed responsibility for twin car bomb explosions in Mogadishu that killed at least 100 people. President Mohamud has mobilized the Somali army and government-backed militias to take back parts of the country from Al-Shabab after the car bomb explosions.
Read More: Key hotel in Mogadishu stormed by al-Shabab militants
