NAIROBI, Kenya – Militants stormed a large hotel in Somalia’s capital on Sunday evening, authorities said, sparking fears of mounting violence in the Horn of Africa as the country faces a hotly contested election season and the withdrawal of US troops .
The attack in Mogadishu, attributed to the Shabab, an extremist group, took place at the Afrik Hotel, which is on the road to the city’s main international airport and a popular meeting place for politicians, legislators and members of the security forces.
Images and video shared on social media showed smoke blowing into the blue sky. Heavy gunfire and explosions were heard in the vicinity of the hotel, said Ismael Mukhtar Omar, spokesman for the Somali Ministry of Information.
Authorities said the Shabab, who is Al Qaeda’s most powerful ally in Africa and wreaked havoc in East Africa, carried out the attack, which began around 5:00 p.m. Security forces continued to attack them at the hotel on Sunday evening. Somali police spokesman, Sadiq Adan Ali, said in a statement that most of the people who were in the hotel had been evacuated. He also confirmed the deaths of nine people, including five civilians and four militants, along with dozens injured.
Abdulkadir Adan, the founder of Aamin Ambulance, Mogadishu’s only free ambulance service, said in a text message that his team had removed the bodies of two people killed in the attack and taken an additional 11 injured from the scene of the violence. .
Mohamed Nur Galal, a former top military general killed in the attack, Mr. Omar confirmed in a message on Twitter. Among those saved were senior federal and regional government officials, along with security officials, he added.
The attack came just weeks before a pivotal parliamentary and presidential election plagued with disputes over how to properly conduct the vote, creating a deadlock that threatens to slow the vote and push the government beyond its constitutional deadline.
The disagreements, involving federal and regional governments and opposition parties, have alarmed the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and African states, which have called on the various parties to “ resolve remaining electoral issues of implementation to be credible and inclusive. elections to continue. “
The elections were scheduled for February 8, but that timeline now seems unattainable. President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has called out regional leaders will meet from Monday to face the electoral crisis.
Tensions during the elections emerged last week after fierce fighting broke out between Somali forces and those from the southern region of Jubaland. Somali officials blamed the violence of groups supported by neighboring Kenya, allegations that officials in Nairobi denied. Somalia cut diplomatic relations with Kenya after the country was accused of meddling in internal affairs.
Somalia is facing a host of other crises, including the coronavirus pandemic, swarms of desert locusts destroying crops and the displacement of tens of thousands of people due to seasonal flooding late last year.
The Shabab militant group also remains a threat, targeting civilians, government officials and peacekeeping forces, in addition to carrying out attacks on restaurants, hotels and other institutions.
According to a United Nations Security Council report last year, the Qaeda-affiliated group also has financial clout as it collects millions of dollars in fees and disbursements to fund its operations. The group has channeled this money through the Somali banking system and invests in local businesses and real estate.
Former President Trump announced in the waning days of his tenure an abrupt withdrawal of the country’s 700 US troops, leaving observers concerned that the withdrawal would encourage the Shabab and prompt them to launch more attacks against the weak. but internationally supported government.
Hussein Mohamed contributed from Mogadishu, Somalia.