BREAKING: Deadly attack on hotel in Central Somalia leaves several dead

Mogadishu(Harar24) – A heavy attack carried out on Hotel Amalow in the town of Buloburde is believed to have left several people dead after Al-Shabaab fighters penetrated the building serving as an AMISOM base, prompting a fierce gun battle.

According to residents, armed men attacked the hotel early Thursday morning, causing a gun battle outside, with the attackers eventually slipping inside the hotel, which is where the most severe fighting took place, lasting up to 1 hour.

Hotel Amalow serves as a headquarter for Djiboutian forces fighting under AMISOM  and Somali government forces, the building also hosts high ranking commanders belonging the allied Somali-Djiboutian forces.

The Militant Group Al-Shabaab quickly claimed responsibility for the attack. Sheikh AbdulAziz Abu Mus’ab, the military spokesman for the group,  who talked with the media shortly after the attack said they were behind the attack and killed at least Six Djiboutian soldiers and commanders.

This attack comes as the second attack to target Hotel Amalow since the allied forces took over the town of Buloburde from Al-Shabaab. The previous attack carried out by Al-Shabaab took place three months ago, and left twenty people dead, including senior Somali military commanders and six Djiboutian troops