Tight security as Jazeera hotel resumes business in Somalia

Somalia's Jazeera Palace Hotel, which was attacked by terrorists in Mogadishu last year, has been running smoothly amid tight security since it reopened in November last year.

Abdinasir Mohamed, the Operations Manager at one of the most popular hotels in Mogadishu, told Xinhua on Thursday that there are security improvements in the hotel including services offered to the customers.

"After the opening of the hotel we have taken action to improve security and no employee has been discriminated or sacked even though they may have suffered injuries," Mohamed said during an interview at the hotel.

"We are also hiring extra staff to bolster our operations and make the hotel the best in the country," he added. The hotel re-opened on Nov. 29.

The popular hotel, located at one of the most secure places in Mogadishu, was extensively destroyed when a suicide bomber rammed a truck rigged with explosives, killing at least 15 people and wounding over 40 others.

The attack was then described as one of the worst scenes of destruction seen in Mogadishu. Somali militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Al-Qaida linked military group said it was responding to assaults by an African Union force and the Somali government in southern Somalia.

Mohamed said the attacks being witnessed across the Horn of Africa nation especially in Mogadishu will not deter them from carrying on with the hotel business.

"We are not affected by such insecurity incidents and we continue with our work, and now the hotel works better as you see and wish to do better in future," he added.

Sucaad Igal who had been living in the hotel for the past three years has decided to keep on staying at the fortified hotel in Mogadishu.

"I don't have any fears at any event located in the world. I feel safe and there are improvements in the security situation in this hotel and I will not move out," he told Xinhua. Endit