A car bomb exploded at a hotel in the central Somali town of Beledweyne on Tuesday in an attack that killed at least six people, including two prominent traditional elders
The blast targeted the Cairo Hotel, which houses traditional leaders and military officers currently involved in coordinating the government’s offensive against the al-Shabab militant group.
The explosion sparked an intense gunfight as the attackers stormed the hotel, engaging security forces.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
However, al-Shabab frequently carries out bombings and attacks targeting government officials and military personnel in the Horn of Africa country. The group controls parts of rural Somalia and continues to pose a significant threat despite sustained military operations by Somali government troops and African Union peacekeepers.