Somalia: At 7 dead in Shebab attacked, including 2 journos
At least 7 people were killed in an attack by Islamic Shebab militants in the port city of Kismayo on Friday.
The attack was against a hotel in this Southern Somalia.
The attack began late afternoon, when a car bomb exploded at the entrance of the Medina, a busy hotel in central Kismayo, security sources said.
This is another sad day for Somali journalists.
A security officer, Abdi Dhuhul confirmed the number of deaths to AFP.
Local sources say, the hotel housed mainly businessmen and politicians who were in town for the preparation of the presidential election in the semi-autonomous region of Jubaland, slated for August.
The Shebab, who frequently undertake such obnoxious operations in the capital Mogadishu, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement.
Somali’s Syndicate of Journalists announced that two of its members were also killed in the attack. Secretary General, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin said ‘’ this is another sad day for Somali journalists’‘.
According to the umbrella body, Mohammed Omar Sahal and Hodan Naleyah are the first two journalists killed in the country this year. Naleyeh, whose husband is also said to have been killed by a witness, had recently returned to Somalia after living in Canada.
They were chased out of Mogadishu in 2011 and the Shebab then lost most of their strongholds. But they are in still in control of large rural areas from which they carry out guerilla operations and suicide bombings.
AFP
