It has now been confirmed that Mohamed Omar Arteh , the Deputy Prime Minister and the Acting PM was among the seriously injured in blasts that rocked the Central Hotel in central Mogadishu Friday.
The attack started after a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives-laden car onto the gate of Central town which is close to Somalia’s presidential palace, followed by a suicide bomber who walked into the hotel where Somali politicians were staying. At least 10 people were killed and many others were wounded after two suicide attacks rocked a hotel frequented by Somali government officials on Friday, officials said.
Another blast followed in minutes.
The dead include Somali MP Omar Ali Nur (Furdug), the deputy Mogadishu mayor Mohamed Adan Guled (Ano-Geel) and other politicians. Soldiers were killed in the blasts as well.
Among the dead were,a also, Abdishakur Mireh Adan, a former minister in Puntland, and Abdifatah Khalif Badiyow who is from Toronto, Canada
Soldiers sealed off the scene of the attack as ambulances rushed the wounded to the hospitals in the city which has seen attacks by the Al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia. Al-shabab has claimed the responsibility for the latest attack.
Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud condemned the attack, vowing his government would continue fighting against Al-Shabab.
The bombing happened as residents of the hotel were preparing to pray at a mosque in the hotel.
The attack comes as Somalia’s security forces started a large sweeping against suspected militants in the town last week.
