Authorities officers often use the Villa Rosa lodge within the Somali capital Mogadishu for conferences.
Somalia’s parliament has introduced the postponement of a scheduled session as experiences continued of gunfire being heard inside a besieged Mogadishu lodge.
Gunfire was heard from the Villa Rose lodge, close to the presidential residence, on Monday, a close-by resident and a police officer mentioned.
The Villa Rose was invaded on Sunday by fighters from al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed group, utilizing weapons and explosives, with a police officer saying on the time that some authorities officers escaped from its home windows.
“There’s nonetheless heavy gunfire contained in the lodge and we hear explosions every so often … we’re nonetheless in our homes since final night time, when the siege began,” Ismail Haaji, who lives close to the lodge, informed Reuters.
Particular forces models, generally known as Gaashaan and Haramcad, had taken over operations, a police officer on the scene mentioned on situation of anonymity.
“The fighters who launched the assault are nonetheless combating contained in the lodge, and they’re combating with the forces of Haramcad and Gaashaan, and safety forces are attempting to rescue the folks trapped contained in the lodge,” the officer added.
The variety of casualties from the siege and the variety of folks rescued was not but clear.
Authorities officers in Mogadishu often use the Villa Rosa lodge for conferences.
Somalia’s parliament mentioned it had postponed a scheduled session for each of its homes.
“All members of parliament of each councils are being knowledgeable that in the present day’s scheduled assembly has been postponed,” it mentioned in an announcement on its Fb web page.
Al-Shabab, which is in search of to topple the federal government and set up its personal rule primarily based on an excessive interpretation of Islamic regulation, often levels assaults in Mogadishu and elsewhere.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected this yr, has launched a navy offensive in opposition to the group.