Gunmen storm hotel in central Somalia, siege ongoing

Voice of America
11 Mar 2025, 18:06 GMT+10

MOGADISHU —

Gunmen stormed a hotel in the town of Baladweyne in central Somalia on Tuesday where local elders and government officials were meeting and a siege is ongoing, witnesses and relatives told Reuters.

Dahir Amin Jesow, a federal lawmaker from Baladweyne, said so far at least four people had been killed but that "we are still counting casualties."

Islamist militant group Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement and said it had killed over 10 people.

Al-Shabab frequently launches bombings and gun attacks in the fragile Horn of Africa nation as it tries to topple the government and establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

"We first heard a huge blast followed by gunfire, then another blast was heard," said Ali Suleiman, a shopkeeper who witnessed the attack.

Parts of the Qahira Hotel had been reduced to rubble as government troops and gunmen exchanged fire, Suleiman added.

Another witness who lives near the hotel, Halima Nur, said gunfire was ringing out intermittently as the siege continued.

Reuters

Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Kenya Star.

More Information

null in null

Africa

Section

Latest US pullback from international climate efforts

United States quits board of UN climate damage fund, letter shows

BRUSSELS, Belgium: The United States has withdrawn from the board of a U.N. climate fund designed to help poor countries deal with...

Gunmen storm hotel in central Somalia, siege ongoing

MOGADISHU — Gunmen stormed a hotel in the town of Baladweyne in central Somalia on Tuesday where local elders and government officials...

Adoption of Equal Futures Resolution - The Sonipat Declaration 2025 - for gender justice

OP Jindal University Sonipat (Haryana) [India], March 11: 'Inclusivity is at the heart of the functioning of the Indian Government...

PM Modi toasts Mauritius President at National Day Lunch

Port Louis [Mauritius], March 11 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Mauritius National Day celebrations as the Chief...

GLOBALink | Chinese Agricultural Machinery Gains Recognition in Africa

From vast farmlands to modern production lines, Made in China can be seen across the globe. In recent years, Chinese agricultural machinery...

"One meal a day" -- Lives enduring extreme hardship in South Sudan refugee camp

A group of refugees is seen at Gorom refugee settlement in Juba, capital of South Sudan, on Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo by Denis Elamu/Xinhua)As...

World

Section