Relatives of people missing after the Hayat Hotel attack in Mogadishu, Somalia await news after the end of the hostage-taking by the Islamist rebels Shebab, which lasted 30 hours and resulted in the deaths of at least 13 civilians.
Dozens of people have also been injured since Shabaab – a group close to al-Qaeda – stormed the hotel on Friday night.
Somali security forces put an end to the hostage-taking overnight Saturday into Sunday, announcing the death of all the attackers.
This morning rescuers were searching for survivors among the ruins, while around the hotel, which has been cordoned off by the forces of order, experts were looking for possible explosive devices.
The Hayat hotel has suffered significant damage, with some parts of it having collapsed, as reported by AFP and relayed by the Athens News Agency.
Friday’s attack it was the first large-scale in Somalia since the country’s new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, took office in May. Responsibility was claimed by the Shabaab organization, which has been trying for more than 10 years to overthrow the government and establish a state based on Islamic law, sharia.
Shebaab spokesman Abdiaziz Abu Musab told Radio Andalus radio station yesterday that the group “inflicted heavy casualties” on the security forces.
The Hayat Hotel was a well-known meeting place for government officials.
Although officials said dozens of people had been rescued, including children, it was not known how many remained trapped in the hotel.
According to eyewitness Hayat Ali, three children of the same family aged 4-7 were found hiding in a state of shock in the hotel toilets.
This morning dozens of people seeking news from their relatives had gathered on the road leading to the hotel, but security forces did not allow them to approach.
Mukhtar Adan, a businessman whose brother was at the hotel on Friday night, said he was waiting to be given permission to approach the building.
“My brother was in the hotel last time I heard from him, but now his phone isn’t working and we don’t know what to expect,” she explained.
Said Nurow, for his part, indicated that he was worried about a friend of his who was staying at the hotel. “I hope he’s alive. According to the last information his sister had, he was staying at the hotel.”
Somalia’s allies, mainly the US, Britain but also the UN, strongly condemned the attack.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the families who lost loved ones, wish a full recovery to those injured, and congratulate the Somali security forces,” the State Department said.
The Somali government is due to hold a press conference this morning, according to a security img.
Source: News Beast
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