At least five killed, five others injured as al-Shabaab gunmen storm central Somalia hotel

At least five people were killed and five others injured when al-Shabaab gunmen stormed a hotel in the town of Baledweyne in central Somalia Tuesday where local elders and government officials were meeting.

Dahir Amin Jesow, a member of Somalia parliament told VOA those killed included two prominent elders.

Witnesses said parts of the hotel had been reduced to rubble as government troops and gunmen exchanged fire.

The militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it had killed more than 10 people.

Beledweyne is about 335km north of the capital, Mogadishu, and is a strategic location in the campaign against al-Shabab. VOA Somali Service stringer Hussein Dhagane filed this footage from Beledweyne.

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