Five terrorists from the al-Shabaab group, which is linked to the al-Qaeda terror network, attacked the residential building near Mogadishu's main Liido beach on Tuesday evening, where a senior Somali military official also lives, according to local media.
The Information Ministry said in a statement that the attack began with a suicide bombing, followed by gunfire that killed 10 people.
The security forces completed the operation and killed four terrorist attackers, the ministry said.
Four security personnel were injured during the operation that ended the al-Shabaab militants' siege of the building, it added.
Local media reported that some injured fighters from the government-backed armed militia known as Macwisley were staying at the residential building when al-Shabaab militants attacked it.
Macwisley is a clan-based militia fighting al-Shabaab terrorists in the country's central provinces.
Al-Shabaab later claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on its propaganda website, claiming that it had attacked a Macwisley base and killed more than 70 people, according to Anadolu News Agency.
Meanwhile, the Somali government announced on Tuesday that the army, backed by international partners, carried out a 30-hour operation against terrorists in the Middle Shabelle region, killing 42 al-Shabaab militants.
The ministry said in a separate statement that the military, backed by the central state of Galmudug regional forces, killed over 80 al-Shabaab terrorists in Shabeelow, Mudug region.
MP/PR
Your Comment