1st LD: At least 2 killed, 8 injured as gunmen storm hotel in Mogadishu

At least two people were killed and eight others injured after two huge explosions occurred at a popular hotel in Mogadishu near the Presidential Palace on Friday evening, police and eyewitnesses said.

Security officer Muktar Omar told Xinhua that the security forces are still fighting the gunmen who forced their way inside SYL Hotel located near the presidential palace.

"It's still too early to give the exact number of casualties as fighting is still underway," Omar said.

Huge blasts followed by heavy gunfire could still be heard from SYL Hotel as fighting between security forces and gunmen ensued.

"Car bomb hit the gate of the SYL hotel while many Somalis were inside. There were many casualties, but we can't establish the number of the deaths or the wounded people," the police officer near the scene told Xinhua, adding that after the explosion, militants stormed the hotel.

Witnesses described the blast as earthquake explosion at the SYL hotel, which is frequented by senior government officials and foreigners.

"I heard the explosion when I was at my home near the place. Everyone in the house came in shock," Abdullahi Dhoholw near the scene told Xinhua.

An eyewitness inside the SYL hotel said people in the hotel are mostly safe, but the hotel was massively destroyed.

The witnesses said the second blast occurred at a very populated area called Peace Garden where people frequent mostly on Fridays for fun. Enditem