Al Shabaab Raid the SYL Hotel Near Somalia State House
The AFP correspondent reported that sporadic explosions and gunfire could be heard from a popular hotel in the Somali capital early Friday. This occurred many hours after Al-Shabaab fighters had attacked the site near the presidential palace.
The attack on Thursday night ended a period of decreased violence from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremist organization, showcasing its ongoing capability to launch assaults despite significant efforts to combat the militants through a large-scale military operation.
Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack on Mogadishu’s SYL hotel, which has been targeted multiple times in the past, with armed assailants storming the premises in a barrage of gunfire around 9:45 pm (1845 GMT).
“Several gunmen forced their way into the building after destroying the perimeter wall with a heavy explosion,” security officer Ahmed Dahir told AFP.
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Several hours later, there remained uncertainty regarding any casualties, with no official government announcement yet made about the assault that took place amidst the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Witnesses described hearing the assailants shoot indiscriminately.
“I don’t know about the casualties but there were many people inside when the attack started,” said Hassan Nur who escaped by scaling a wall.
Additional witnesses reported that law enforcement officers reached the hotel shortly after the assault commenced, initiating an intense exchange of gunfire.
Abdullahi Hassan, who was situated in a nearby residence, reported that the officers came in several vehicles.
“Two ambulances carried wounded people,” he said.
‘Still active and resilient’
The hotel has experienced multiple deadly assaults by Al-Shabaab in the past, with the most recent incident occurring in 2019.
The SYL is situated near the primary entrance of the Villa Somalia governmental compound, an area of high-security housing the presidential palace, the prime minister’s office, and various ministry buildings.
“It is a highly significant attack that shatters a sense of calm in Mogadishu that has developed in recent months following some security reforms,” said Omar Mahmood, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group (ICG), noting that in the past Al-Shabaab, assaults had increased during Ramadan.
“It also serves as a signal from Al-Shabaab that despite much-heralded efforts by this government to weaken them, the group remains active and resilient, and even able to hit the government close to home.”
For over 16 years, the jihadists have been engaged in conflict against the internationally supported federal government, frequently attacking hotels where Somali and foreign dignitaries are commonly accommodated.
Despite being expelled from the capital by an African Union contingent, the militants maintain a significant presence in rural Somalia and have conducted numerous assaults targeting political figures, security forces, and civilians, even within Mogadishu.
In August 2022, the struggling central government initiated a significant attack against Islamist groups, collaborating with regional clan militias.
The “macawisley” forces, along with army units and militias, have regained control of large areas in the central region of the country with support from the African Union mission ATMIS and airstrikes conducted by the United States.
Al-Shabaab asserts that it has seized control of several central locations in the country, despite initial advances, marking setbacks for the offensive.
‘Unwavering resolve’
On Thursday, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud convened with defense authorities in a “strategic gathering” aimed at devising a strategy to recapture the territory that has been lost, as reported by the Somalia national news agency SONNA.
“The president commended the valiant efforts of Somali forces and emphasized the government’s unwavering resolve to eradicate terrorism,” SONNA said.
In January, insurgents seized several individuals as hostages following an emergency landing of a United Nations helicopter carrying nine passengers in their region.
June of the previous year, a beachfront hotel in Mogadishu witnessed a six-hour siege resulting in the deaths of six civilians.
In August 2022, a 30-hour siege at the Hayat Hotel in the capital resulted in the deaths of 21 individuals and left over 100 others injured.
In October 2022, twin car bombings in Mogadishu resulted in the loss of 100 lives and left 300 people injured, marking the deadliest attack since Mohamud assumed office in May of the same year.
The assault on Thursday follows closely behind the imposition of sanctions by the US Treasury on 16 individuals and organizations in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. These entities were alleged to have been involved in money laundering activities on behalf of the militant group.
Al Shabaab Raid the SYL Hotel Near Somalia State House
