Al-Shabab gunmen attack hotel in Somalia

At least two Djiboutian soldiers and two al-Shabab fighters have been killed in an attack on a hotel used by African Union troops in Somalia, the AU has said. 

The attack happened at the Amalow hotel in Buulobarde on Thursday. Al-Shabab fighters hurled explosives at the entrance before exchanging fire with Somali and African Union troops at the hotel.

Elio Yao, a spokesman for the UN-backed AU mission in Somalia, told the AFP news agency that gunmen failed to enter the compound but had killed two Djiboutians. 

The two al-Shabab fighters “dressed in military fatigues or uniform” were also killed, Yao said. 

“There was an exchange of fire at the checkpoint, during that exchange the two Djiboutians were killed… the attackers were not able to enter the compound.”

Al-Shabab meanwhile said it had killed six AU soldiers.

“Our well-armed Mujahideen … entered Hotel Amalow in Bulobarde again. They are carrying out the operations, shootings,” Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabab’s spokesman for military operation told Reuters news agency.

Al-Shabab killed several Djibouti soldiers in an attack at the same hotel in March. The attack involved a 60-year-old Norwegian suicide bomber and at least a dozen heavily armed fighters, al-Shabab said.

Troops from several African Union countries are aiding Somali government troops in the conflict with al-Shabab.