On Sunday, a double suicide bombing targeted a hotel near the presidential palace in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
The Mujahideen Youth Movement claimed responsibility for the attack, which coincides with the continuation of government forces, in cooperation with tribal militias, to launch military operations against the movement, during which hundreds of its members were killed.
For his part, the official spokesman for the police said, "The terrorists attacked the hotel in the Bountiri neighborhood in the center of the capital."
He added - in a statement - posted on his Facebook page that "the security forces are still working to end the attack on the hotel," noting that the authorities "rescued a number of civilians and government officials who were trapped in the hotel," without mentioning their numbers.
A security source said that two suicide bombers wearing explosive belts blew themselves up at the entrance to Cross Hotel, where government officials were staying.
Two days ago, the Somali Ministry of Information announced that government forces had killed about 100 members of the "Al-Shabaab Movement" in the El Tair region, located between the regions of Middle Shabelle and Hiran.
President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, who was elected earlier this year, is launching a military offensive against the movement linked to the "Al Qaeda" organization and was established in early 2004.