World

Car bombings target Somali hotel

17:59 pm on 2 January 2014

Two car bombs have exploded outside a hotel in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, killing at least 10 people.

The explosions on Wednesday occurred at the Jazeera Hotel, which is close to Mogadishu's airport and is popular with Somali politicians.

Reports say the blasts were followed by exchanges of fire between security forces and the attackers.

The Somali Islamist militant group Al Shabaab, who were driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, say they carried out the attack.

The al-Qaeda linked group still controls many southern and central areas of the country and has continued to launch attacks on the capital.

Last week, at least 11 people, including six soldiers, were killed by a remote-controlled bomb in a restaurant in Mogadishu.