Gunmen from the Al Shabaab militant group launched a deadly attack on a hotel in the central Somali town of Beledweyne on Tuesday March 11, killing at least seven people, including local clan elders and their guards.
The attackers, who were reportedly trying to disrupt a meeting of local leaders and government officials discussing measures to combat the group, used explosives to force their way into the building, according to witnesses. Shopkeeper Ali Suleiman, who was at the scene, described hearing explosions at the hotel’s entrance as the militants gained access.
The Al Qaeda-linked group later claimed responsibility for the assault, stating that they had killed more than 10 people. Abdullahi Fidow, a clan elder, confirmed that seven people, including his relatives, were confirmed dead at the hotel, while parts of the building were left in flames. Fidow also expressed concern over the ongoing nature of the attack, stating that some fighters may still be engaged in combat in nearby buildings, and warned that the death toll could rise due to ongoing explosions and gunfire.
In a related incident, violence continued in southern Somalia, where at least 10 people, including eight Al Shabaab fighters, were killed during clashes in a village in the Middle Shabelle region. Meanwhile, in Mogadishu, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was at the airport to greet soldiers who had been wounded in the ongoing conflict. Despite the government’s efforts to contain the insurgency, Al Shabaab remains a formidable force, continuing to target civilians and government personnel as part of its campaign to overthrow the Somali government and impose its interpretation of Sharia law.