 "File Image- Reuters")
A car bomb exploded on Monday at a hotel in Beledweyne, a central Somali city, killing at least six people, including two prominent traditional elders, according to witnesses. The attack targeted the Cairo Hotel, which hosts traditional elders and military officers coordinating the government’s offensive against the terrorist group al-Shabab.
The explosion was followed by intense gunfire as attackers stormed the hotel, engaging security forces. Muhsin Abdullahi, a resident, confirmed to The Associated Press that six people, including two well-known elders, were killed, with several others hospitalised for injuries.
“Six people, including two well-known traditional elders, were killed in the attack,” said Muhsin Abdullahi, a resident who spoke to The Associated Press by phone. He added that several wounded were hospitalized.
Social media footage showed thick black smoke rising from the hotel and significant damage to the building. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but al-Shabab, which controls parts of rural Somalia, frequently carries out bombings and assaults targeting government officials and military personnel.