Multiple casualties in militant attack on hotel in Beledweyne, Somalia

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A car bomb exploded at the Cairo Hotel in the central Somali city of Beledweyne on Tuesday, triggering an hours-long militant assault that resulted in an undetermined number of casualties. Somali security forces continued efforts to eliminate the attackers well into Tuesday evening after heavy gunfire broke out.

The Cairo Hotel, which hosts traditional elders and military officers coordinating the government’s offensive against the militant group al-Shabab, was the target of the attack. Al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-affiliated group, claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Located about 335 kilometers north of the capital, Mogadishu, Beledweyne is the capital of the Hiran region and a strategic hub in the ongoing fight against al-Shabab.

The death toll remains uncertain. Resident Muhsin Abdullahi reported that six people, including two prominent traditional elders, were killed, while witness Hussein Jeelle Raage stated that at least 11 people were dead, including three members of his own family.

Social media footage showed thick smoke rising from the hotel, with significant damage to the building.

Al-Shabab, which opposes Somalia’s federal government, regularly carries out bombings and attacks targeting government officials and military personnel. Despite ongoing military efforts by Somali forces and African Union peacekeepers, the group controls parts of rural Somalia and continues to pose a major threat.