Militants from the al-Shabaab group have attacked a hotel near the presidential palace in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, security sources and witnesses said.
The Syl Hotel is popular with government officials.
Witnesses said they heard blasts and gunfire coming from the hotel, with telling Reuters that fighters were still inside the building.
It was not immediately clear if there were casualties.
“The armed Mujahideen control the hotel and are shooting workers and officers of the apostate government in the hotel,” al-Shabaab said in a statement where they claimed responsibility for the attack.
Resident Farah Ali, who lives near the president’s office, told Reuters: “We first heard a huge blast, and then gunfire followed. We understand the fighters are inside [the hotel] for we hear exchange of gunfire.”
“Several gunmen forced their way into the building after destroying the perimeter wall with a heavy explosion,” a security officer told AFP.
Al-Shabab controls large parts of southern and central Somalia.
The group is affiliated to al-Qaeda and has waged a brutal insurgency for nearly 20 years.