Thread: Al-Shabab storms beachside hotel in Somali capital

At least six people - and eight attackers - were killed when al-Shabab suicide bombers and gunmen attacked a seafront hotel and restaurant in the Somali capital, the intelligence agency said.

A car laden with explosives rammed into the Beach View Hotel on Lido beach on Thursday evening, after which several al-Shabab fighters opened fire at the hotel, witnesses told Al Jazeera.

"After the blast, I saw at least four armed men run into the hotel, shooting everyone inside and around the hotel," Mustafa Elmi, a Lido beach visitor, told DPA news agency.

"I managed to escape with minor wounds, but there were people who were shot dead on the spot," he added.

A second explosion hit the nearby Lido Seafood restaurant, where several gunmen were reportedly holed up.

"The lights at Lido Seafood have just been switched off. Heavy gunfire is now ongoing," Abdirizak Mohamud, a freelance journalist at the scene, told Al Jazeera.

"More and more security forces are now going into the restaurant. They have pulled out three injured people so far," Mohamud added.

The Lido beach area is home to several restaurants, which are usually full on Thursday nights - the start of the weekend in Somalia.

Government spokesman Abdisalam Aato told Al Jazeera that the situation was now under control.

"Our security forces are in control of the restaurant. They have rescued many civilians and are now cleaning the place," Aato said.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call to Al Jazeera. The spokesman also said the attack was ongoing.

Somalia's nearly decade-long battle with al-Shabab has claimed thousands of lives.

Last week, the group attacked Kenyan forces at an African Union military base in the southern Somali village of El-Ade.

The group claimed to have killed about 100 Kenyan soldiers in that attack.

Al-Shabab storms beachside hotel in Somali capital - Al Jazeera English

At least 19 killed in Somalia restaurant attack

Mogadishu (AFP) - Somalia's Islamist Shebab militants killed around 20 people when five gunmen detonated a bomb before storming a popular seaside restaurant in the capital Mogadishu, police and witnesses said Friday.

"They killed nearly 20 people, including women and children," Somali police officer Mohamed Abdirahman said, describing it as a "barbaric and brutal attack against innocent civilians".

The Lido beach area in Mogadishu is busy with restaurants, including upmarket establishments popular with business people and diaspora Somalis who have returned home to the city.

After a huge explosion, gunmen burst into the restaurant on Thursday evening as diners were sitting down for their evening meal at the start of Somalia's weekend.

"The fact that they have chosen this location during a weekend night shows how merciless the Shebab militants are," Abdirahman added.

"They wanted to kill more civilians -- but the security forces rescued most of the people."

The Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab claimed responsibility for the attack, in which four of their gunmen were also killed, and one captured.

"The mujahedeen fighters targeted the Lido Beach," the militants said on the group's Radio Andalus, calling it a "major operation against the enemy of Allah".

Security minister Abdirazak Omar Mohamed told reporters that four of the attackers were shot dead by security forces.

The minister added that one gunman was captured when security forces entered the building to end the attack.

Survivors described the gunmen spraying those in the restaurant with automatic weapons.

- Point blank range -

Abdirahman Halane was close to the restaurant when the gunmen attacked, and said some of those killed were hit by an explosion as they tried to flee.

"The gunmen entered the popular Lido Sea Food Restaurant from the back door and started shooting... a few minutes later there was a heavy explosion at the front gate while people were trying to escape," Halane said.

"There was confusion, everybody started panicking, and some of them ran towards the gunmen and they were shot dead, I was lucky to escape," he said.

Another witness described how some of those killed had died in the large blast, while others were shot dead at point blank range.

"There is a big mess here and many people died, I saw the dead bodies of 19 people who were killed during the attack," said Hussein Ali, who saw the bodies being carried out of the damaged building.

"Some of the people died in the explosion while fleeing and others were shot dead up close."

The Shebab, who are fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu, carry out regular attacks in the capital.

Last week the insurgents stormed a Kenyan army base in southwest Somalia, in the latest incident of an AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) base being overrun by the militants.

A Shebab statement said that more than 100 Kenyan soldiers based at the mission were killed and others captured.

Kenya has so far declined to say how many of its soldiers were killed, injured or remain missing.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday visited wounded soldiers recovering in hospital in the capital Nairobi.

At least 19 killed in Somalia restaurant attack

Actually its all part of a well organised plan , fuck the tourist trade up and de stabilize the Country like they have done in Tunisia and Egypt causing massive unemployment and then 50% will rebel and seek Guidance from Allah the all knowing and merciful ,the other 50% of course will leave their Islamic shitholes and board the European Christian gravy train as economic migrants

Al-Shabab is not a very good name for a terrorist organization. Just seeing it makes me hungry for some reason?

^^No worries, Mama Merkel can breastfeed everyone.

^Nice one and great music too, Angie (the appeaser) slots in quite nicely to one of Winston Churchill's sayings An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. - Winston Churchill at BrainyQuote

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Al-Shabab is not a very good name for a terrorist organization. Just seeing it makes me hungry for some reason?

It actually means "the youth" ( الشباب )

al-Shabab

Had one of them a while back.

Gave me the shits.

Originally Posted by piwanoi

Actually its all part of a well organised plan , fuck the tourist trade up and de stabilize the Country like they have done in Tunisia and Egypt causing massive unemployment and then 50% will rebel and seek Guidance from Allah the all knowing and merciful ,the other 50% of course will leave their Islamic shitholes and board the European Christian gravy train as economic migrants

Theres little to no Tourism in Somalia mate.

Originally Posted by Lukey1979

Originally Posted by piwanoi

Actually its all part of a well organised plan , fuck the tourist trade up and de stabilize the Country like they have done in Tunisia and Egypt causing massive unemployment and then 50% will rebel and seek Guidance from Allah the all knowing and merciful ,the other 50% of course will leave their Islamic shitholes and board the European Christian gravy train as economic migrants

Theres little to no Tourism in Somalia mate.

Thanks for the info mate , but now that little has turned to none ain't it mate

^Well reading this article Mate it would appear Somalia has a tourist business with quite a few hotels , but I surmise that after this latest Al Shahab atrocity which was meant solely to fuck up what little bit they had, the hotels will be doing little business from now on, which is just what these murdering bastards want Somalia Tourism: Best of Somalia - TripAdvisor

Fuckin dirty brainwashed animal's
I hate the fuckin lot of them, silly fuckers killing people for their imaginary friends
Twats

FYI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Sha...ilitant_group)

Al Shabab and Chips please, Mustapha.

Also lol @ going to Somalia on holiday.