World
Al-Shabab militants carried out a car bomb attack in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people, including two parliamentarians.
The bombing, which was followed by gunfire, targeted the Ambassador Hotel, which is a hub of diplomats, government officials and Somalis visiting from abroad. Authorities said they suspected a few militants were holed up in the building and had taken hostages.
The lawmakers who died in the attack were identified as Mohamud Mohamed and Abdullahi Jamac, writes Reuters. In a statement, Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.
At least three fighters were involved in the attack, notes Al Jazeera. Experts say the militant group, which has been forced out of the city, is trying to make a statement that it can still carry out deadly assaults with “audacity.”
After African Union forces ousted Al-Shabab from Mogadishu in 2011, the group lost a majority of its strongholds last year. In the wake of its shrinking territories, the militant organization has stepped up attacks in the capital, killing 17 people in January and nine others in February.
Separately, two major Al-Shabab leaders were killed in a joint operation by the U.S. air force and the Somali officials, reports The Guardian. Abdullahi Haji Da’ud and Mohamed Dulyadin were “presumed dead” in an air strike on May 27, said Pentagon officials.
