Somalia’s Hayat hotel Siege: 21 killed; UN chief condemns terrorist attack

At least 21 people were killed in an hours-long terrorist siege at an upscale hotel in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, with 117 others wounded.

Unidentified gunmen stormed the upscale hotel on Friday night. Security forces rescued many others, including children, from the scene of the attack.

The siege began on Friday evening after heavily armed gunmen stormed the Hayat Hotel following large explosions in the area.

The siege went on until Sunday morning.

According to the police chief, Major Abdi Hassan Mohamed Hijar, the attackers had used the hostages “as human shields” slowing police efforts to end the “terrorist siege.”

The Hayat Hotel is popular with lawmakers and other government officials.

The al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic extremist group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Hayat Hotel in Mogadishu, the capital and most populous city of Somalia.

Through a statement, the UN chief expressed his deep condolences to the families of the victims as well as the government and people of Somalia, adding that he wished a swift recovery to the injured.

The top UN official reiterated the UN’s solidarity with the government and the people of Somalia in their fight against terrorism and their march towards peace.