20 killed as Somali forces end siege at restaurant

Aunt Halima Hassan tends to Mohamed Abdiqani Kheyre, 3, who survived the restaurant attack but whose mother was killed during the siege, at the Madina hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016.

The group said some of its members rammed a vehicle with explosives into the popular Beach View Hotel while gunmen opened fire at people in nearby restaurants and on the beach, which is popular with surfers.

“They shot and killed indiscriminately”, police Captain Mohamed Aloley said at the scene of the assault. Militants also detonated two auto bombs nearby.

The militant Islamist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility. “The attack continued for about seven hours”.

He will later join families of the injured soldiers at the Moi Forces Memorial for a special remembrance event where he will make an address to the troops, their families, diplomats, and senior government officials.

South Africa stood with the African Union and the worldwide community in condemning the attacks that killed innocent civilians, spokesperson Nelson Kgwete said in a statement.

The assailants attacked the restaurant Thursday evening, setting off explosions and firing on guests.

“It is believed Mwalimu Janow, the leader of (an al Shabaab) brigade, who led this attack, was killed”, Mwathethe told reporters.

A good number of people were seated around me, there was a wedding ceremony at the hall of the restaurant.

Last week, the insurgents stormed a Kenyan army base in southwest Somalia. They took over the restaurant, killing hostages before the security forces managed to get in.

The Lido beach area in Mogadishu is busy with restaurants, including upmarket establishments popular with business people and diaspora Somalis who have returned home to the city.

“They randomly fired at the people sitting near the beach before entering the restaurant”, witness Ahmed Nur told Associated Press.