Death Toll In Somalia Bombing And Clashes Rises To 18 With At Least 40 Injured

Police in Somalia’s capital say a day-long siege in the heart of Mogadishu has ended with all of the al-Shabab extremist attackers killed.

Captain Mohamed Hussein says an operation to clear the buildings has begun and bodies have been found.

The attack began with a pair of car bombs in a popular area of Mogadishu where Somalis were relaxing at restaurants and hotels.

The extremists then holed up inside buildings while security forces worked to rescue trapped civilians.
At least 24 people have been killed, with more than 50 people wounded.

The death toll from a car bombing and clashes between security forces and gunmen near a hotel in Somalia’s capital has risen to 18, police said.

At least 40 others were injured in the attack near a hotel and a judge’s residence on a busy street in Mogadishu, police Captain Mohamed Hussein said.

Security forces were still fighting to neutralise some militants holed up inside a building close to the Maka Almukarramah hotel, which the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab said had been the target.

The US has dramatically increased airstrikes against al-Shabab since President Donald Trump took office.

The US military command for the African continent reported carrying out 50 strikes in Somalia in 2018.
This year, US strikes targeting al-Shabab fighters have come at an even faster pace.

The military command in Africa reported 23 as of Tuesday, including one in central Somalia that killed 20 militants and another the day before that killed 35.