Somalia's Al-Shabaab kills four in hotel attack in Puntland region, says official
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 8 February 2017 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Somalia's Al-Shabaab kills four in hotel attack in Puntland region, says official, 8 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a501c.html [accessed 8 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
February 08, 2017
Until 2011, Al-Shabaab militants controlled most of Somalia, including the capital, Mogadishu.
Gunmen have stormed a hotel in Somalia's semiautonomous Puntland region, killing four guards, officials say.
The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the February 8 attack in the city of Bosasso, according to Amaq, an IS-affiliated news service.
A group declaring allegiance to the group has been active in Puntland in recent months.
Regional governor Yusuf Mohamed earlier blamed the attack on Al-Shabaab, but a spokesman for the Islamist militant group denied this.
Mohamed said three fighters stormed the International Village Hotel, which is popular with foreigners, adding that four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting.
The attack came as Somali lawmakers began electing a president in the capital, Mogadishu.
The vote is seen as important step for Somalia, which fell into chaos following the collapse of Mohamed Siad Barre's dictatorship in 1991.
Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
