Extremists affiliated with Al Shabaab launched an attack on a hotel beside Somalia’s presidential palace in Mogadishu. The event was reported by Reuters based on multiple eyewitness accounts.
Witnesses told journalists that a series of blasts preceded an armed assault. The targeted hotel is known to be a favored venue among government officials and others close to the political center of Mogadishu.
Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the operation and announced that the Syl Hotel had been seized during the assault.
Al Shabaab originated in Somalia in 2004 and has reportedly grown to include thousands of militants. The group has carried out attacks primarily across the central and southern regions of the country, exploiting instability and security gaps to press its campaign.
There was a separate set of violent actions last June when a hotel attack occurred on Somali soil. In a past incident, unexploded ordnance in the Southern region resulted in the deaths of dozens of people. Specifically, the strike happened in Murale village within Lower Shabelle and led to numerous casualties.
For many years, Somalia has faced governance challenges and territorial fragmentation. A Transitional Constitution was adopted by the Constitutional Assembly in Mogadishu in 2012, which helped define Somalia as a federation. The nation has been a member of the United Nations since September 20, 1960, and joined the East African Community in March 2024, signaling regional alignment and ongoing diplomatic engagement.
In related domestic policy developments, there have been actions against several online platforms, with regulatory decisions affecting services such as Telegram, TikTok, and betting platforms like 1xBet being implemented in the region as part of broader governance efforts.