Somalia: Huge blast in Mogadishu, 5 killed

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - At least five people have been killed after a huge blast rocked a Mogadishu hotel on Tuesday, Somalia’s official news agency reported.

The Somali Nation News Agency (SONNA) tweeted pictures showing massive damage at the popular SYL hotel, near the Presidential Palace.

“It is true there was a huge blast near the presidential palace, but I'm not aware of any causalities at the moment,’’ Abdirahman Yusuf Aynte, Planning and International Cooperation Minister told Anadolu Agency via telephone Tuesday.

A shopkeeper in Mogadishu told Anadolu Agency he saw clouds of smoke in the air.

“It’s a terrifying scene. I don’t know when we shall have peace in this country?” Ali Adhe said via telephone from Mogadishu.

Efforts to contact local police were fruitless.

Somalia’s al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab militants fighting to overthrow the western backed Somali government have claimed responsibility for the attack on pro-Shabaab Radio Andalus.

Al-Shabaab militants have carried out several attacks in Somalia and neighboring Kenya, killing hundreds of innocent people.