Gunmen stormed a hotel in the capital of Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region on Wednesday, killing four guards.

In a nation awash with weapons, it was not immediately clear who staged the raid in the port city of Bosasso.



An official blamed al-Shabab fighters, but a spokesman for the armed group denied involvement.

"Three al-Shabab fighters stormed the International Village Hotel this morning. Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting," Yusuf Mohamed, governor of the Bari region, told Reuters news agency.

He said the attackers had not managed to enter the hotel, which is popular with foreigners.

Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabab's military operations spokesman, said: "We are not behind the Bosasso hotel attack. It is propaganda."

Al-Shabab regularly launches attacks in Somalia, but tends to focus on the capital Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government.

Until 2011, the al-Qaeda-linked group controlled most of Somalia, including Mogadishu. Since then it has been pushed out of the capital and slowly forced out of other strongholds by African Union troops and Somali soldiers.

Fighters often stage bomb and gun attacks in the capital and other regions in their quest to overthrow the Western-backed government and impose their own strict interpretation of Islamic law on the nation.

READ MORE: Somalia - US accused of killing 22 troops in air strike

Somalia's politicians are due to elect a president later on Wednesday in Mogadishu.

Fears of attacks have limited the election to the country's legislators, who will vote at a heavily guarded former air force base in the capital. Rounds of voting are expected to narrow down the 22 candidates to a winner.

The Horn of Africa nation is trying to put together its first fully functioning central government in a quarter-century. Years of warlord-led conflict and al-Shabab attacks, along with famine, have left the country of about 12 million people largely shattered.</s>BOSASSO, Somalia: Gunmen stormed a hotel in the capital of Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region on Wednesday, killing four guards, a senior official said.

In a nation awash with weapons, it was not immediately clear who staged the raid in the port city of Bosasso. The official blamed al Shabaab Islamists, but a spokesman for the group denied involvement.

"Three al Shabaab fighters stormed the International Village Hotel this morning. Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting," Yusuf Mohamed, the governor of Bari region, told Reuters. He said the militants had not managed to enter the hotel, which is popular with foreigners.

Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman, told Reuters: "We are not behind the Bosasso hotel attack. It is propaganda."

Al Shabaab regularly launches attacks in Somalia, but tends to focus on the capital Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government.

Until 2011, the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab controlled most of Somalia including Mogadishu. Since then it has been pushed out of the capital and slowly forced out of other strongholds by African Union troops and Somali soldiers.</s>Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in Bosasso, according to its news agency Amaq. A group declaring allegiance to Islamic State has been active in the Puntland region in recent months.

The senior official had earlier blamed Islamists from al Shabaab, but a spokesman for the Somali group denied this.

Three fighters stormed the International Village Hotel, Yusuf Mohamed, the governor of Bari region, told Reuters. "Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting," he said.

He said the militants had managed to enter the compound but not the main building of the hotel, which is popular with foreigners.

Islamist leader Abdiqadir Mumin broke away from the main al Shabaab insurgency in 2015 and swore allegiance to Islamic State. Experts says the group's strength is unclear, but he may have fighters numbering in the low hundreds under his command.

However, experts say his group has no known operational links to Islamic State in the Middle East.

Al Shabaab regularly launches attacks in Somalia, but tends to focus on the capital Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government.

Until 2011, the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab controlled most of Somalia including Mogadishu. Since then it has been pushed out of the capital and slowly forced out of other strongholds by African Union troops and Somali soldiers.</s>Al-Shabaab militants on February 8 stormed a hotel in the largest city of Somalia's semiautonomous Puntland region, Bosasso, killing four guards, while two of the attackers also died, a senior official said.

Local governor Yusuf Mohamed told the media, "Three Al-Shabaab fighters stormed the International Village Hotel this morning. Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting."

The hotel in the port city of Bosasso is popular with foreigners.

Until 2011, the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab controlled most of Somalia, including the capital, Mogadishu.

In the past two years, African Union and Somali government forces have forced Al-Shabaab out of important urban strongholds but it remains active from bases in rural areas.

 

 Somalia's lawmakers are due to elect a president later on February 8 in Mogadishu.

The presidential election is seen as important step for the Horn of Africa country, which fell into chaos following the collapse of the dictatorship of Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa</s>Somalia's al Shabaab kill four in attack on hotel in Puntland region - official

BOSASSO, Somalia, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Somalia's al Shabaab militants stormed a hotel in the capital of the semi-autonomous Puntland region, Bosasso, on Wednesday, killing four guards, while two of the attackers also died, a senior official said.

"Three al Shabaab fighters stormed the International Village Hotel this morning. Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting," Yusuf Mohamed, the governor of Bari region, told Reuters.

"Fortunately, the attackers did not enter the rooms. The fighting took place inside the compound. A third fighter escaped and we are pursuing him. All the people in the hotel are safe." (Reporting by Abdiqabni Hassan; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Robert Birsel)</s>Somalia's al Shabaab militants stormed a hotel in the capital of the semi-autonomous Puntland region, Bosasso, on Wednesday, killing four guards, while two of the attackers also died, a senior official said.

"Three al Shabaab fighters stormed the International Village Hotel this morning. Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting," Yusuf Mohamed, the governor of Bari region, told Reuters.

The hotel in the port city of Bosasso, which is also the capital of Bari region, is popular with foreigners.

"Fortunately, the attackers did not enter the rooms. The fighting took place inside the compound. A third fighter escaped and we are pursuing him. All the people in the hotel are safe," Mohamed said.

Until 2011, the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab controlled most of Somalia including the capital, Mogadishu.

In the past two years, African Union and Somali government forces have forced al Shabaab out of important urban strongholds but it remains active from bases in rural areas.

Its militants often stage bomb and gun attacks in the capital and other regions in their quest to overthrow the Western-backed government and impose their own strict interpretation of sharia, Islamic law, on the nation.

Somalia's lawmakers are due to elect a president later on Wednesday in Mogadishu.</s>Somalia's al-Shabaab militants stormed a hotel in the capital of the semi-autonomous Puntland region, Bosasso, on Wednesday, killing four guards, while two of the attackers also died, a senior official said.

"Three al-Shabaab fighters stormed the International Village Hotel this morning. Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting," Yusuf Mohamed, the governor of Bari region, told Reuters.
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The hotel in the port city of Bosasso, which is also the capital of Bari region, is popular with foreigners.

"Fortunately, the attackers did not enter the rooms. The fighting took place inside the compound. A third fighter escaped and we are pursuing him. All the people in the hotel are safe," Mohamed said.

Last month, dozens were killed when the group attacked a hotel in the capital, Mogadishu.

The country faces a groundbreaking presidential election Wednesday amid a security lockdown that has closed the capital's international airport and cleared major streets.

Fears of attacks by al-Shabaab have limited the election to the country's legislators, who will vote at a heavily guarded former air force base in the capital. Rounds of voting are expected to narrow down the 22 candidates to a winner.

This Horn of Africa nation is trying to put together its first fully functioning central government in a quarter-century. Years of warlord-led conflict and al-Shabaab attacks, along with famine, left the country of about 12 million people largely shattered.

While the international community pushed Somalia to hold the election as a symbol of recovery, the vote has been marred by reports of widespread corruption.

Until 2011, the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab controlled most of Somalia including the capital. In the past two years, African Union and Somali government forces have forced al-Shabaab out of important urban strongholds but it remains active from bases in rural areas.

Its militants often stage bomb and gun attacks in the capital and other regions in their quest to overthrow the Western-backed government and impose their own strict interpretation of sharia, Islamic law, on the nation.</s>"Three al Shabaab fighters stormed the International Village Hotel this morning. Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting," Yusuf Mohamed, the governor of Bari region, said.

The hotel in the port city of Bosasso, which is also the capital of Bari region, is popular with foreigners.

"Fortunately, the attackers did not enter the rooms. The fighting took place inside the compound. A third fighter escaped and we are pursuing him. All the people in the hotel are safe," Governor Mohamed said.</s>At least four security guards were killed after members of the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab attacked a hotel in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in Somalia. The attack comes just hours ahead of the African nation's crucial presidential vote.

Two assailants were also shot and killed in the onslaught, a senior Somali security official told Reuters. The militants entered the hotel – frequented by foreigners – early on Wednesday (8 February) by taking down four guards outside the facility.

"Three al-Shabaab fighters stormed the International Village Hotel this morning. Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting. Fortunately, the attackers did not enter the rooms. The fighting took place inside the compound. A third fighter escaped and we are pursuing him. All the people in the hotel are safe," the governor of Bari region, Yusuf Mohamed was quoted as saying.

Usually southern parts of Somalia are targeted by militants who intend to uproot the government and displace the African Union forces to establish a Sharia-ruled state. Such assaults are rarer in northern parts of the country.

Although the government has launched staunch counter-terrorism measures against the al-Shabaab insurgency, militants manage to enter the region and mount fresh attacks.

The latest attack comes as 329 newly-elected parliamentarians are set to decide (on Wednesday) whether President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud should continue for a second term or his rivals would be freshly nominated. Security has also been beefed up especially in capital Mogadishu in the run-up to the vote.
Unknown gunmen storm a hotel in Bosaso, leaving at least four guards and two militants dead. It is unclear who carried out the attack. An official blames Al-Shabaab, though the group denies having any involvement.