Blast hitting Jazeera hotel, Mogadishu before and after shots

(Image via Mukhtar Ibrahim)

At least 10 people are believed to have been killed in an alleged suicide attack when a vehicle exploded outside the Jazeera hotel in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu. BBC reported that “Somali Islamist group al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack on the hotel” popular with UN officials. AFP reported that, “the diplomatic missions of both China and Qatar are based in the hotel.”

African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) stated, “we can confirm that there was an explosion at Jazeera Hotel in Mogadishu, a few minutes ago. The base camp in Mogadishu is not under attack. AMISOM personnel are on the ground and are providing all the necessary support at Jazeera Palace in Mogadishu”

Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operations spokesman, told Reuters, “it is a response to attacks and helicopter bombing against al Shabaab by AMISOM and the Somali government.”

The following tweets covered the incident

Mogadishu News

A massive plume of smoke was seen rising above the scene of the blast at Jazeera Hotel in #Mogadishu.

M.Mubarak

The explosion was so huge that homes near it were leveled. I live 3 KMs away, and paint was blow off some of my walls. #Mogadishu

Adam A Omar

Reports that blast today in Mogadishu is the biggest city has experienced to date. Numerous houses around the hotel said to have collapsed

The Jazeera Hotel serves as the de facto embassy of the People’s Republic of China & houses various international agencies.

Kudos to Jazeera hotel security who made it impossible for attackers to storm into hotel. Prevented further bloodshed & loss of life.

Mohamid Mualimu

I can still see ambulances collecting dead & wounded, so far seen bodies of more than 10 including pedestrians and neighbour villagers.

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.