MOGADISHU, Somalia — A car bomb exploded Tuesday at a hotel in the central Somali city of Beledweyne in a militant attack that killed at least six people, including two prominent traditional elders, according to witnesses.
The explosion targeted the Cairo Hotel, which houses traditional elders and military officers currently involved in coordinating the government’s offensive against the militant group al-Shabab.
The blast triggered intense gunfire as attackers stormed the hotel, engaging security forces.
“Six people, including two well-known traditional elders, were killed in the attack,” said Muhsin Abdullahi, a resident who spoke to The Associated Press by phone. He added that several wounded were hospitalized.
Footage shared on social media showed thick plumes of black smoke rising above the hotel, with significant destruction to the building.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
However, al-Shabab frequently carries out bombings and assaults targeting government officials and military personnel in the Horn of Africa nation. The group controls parts of rural Somalia and has continued to pose a significant threat despite sustained military operations by Somali government troops and African Union peacekeepers.
Beledweyne, located about 335 kilometers (208 miles) north of the federal capital Mogadishu, is the capital of the Hiran region and a strategic location in Somalia’s ongoing campaign against al-Shabab, which has ties with al-Qaida.
