At least 12 people have been killed in an attack by the al-Shabab terror group in Somalia. France24 put the number as at least 13, and Sky News reported it as 20.
Al-Shabab is an affiliate of al-Qaeda.
Al-Shabab terrorists stormed the Hayat Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, late on Friday, detonating at least two explosives outside the hotel before entering it.
According to BBC, an unknown number of armed terrorists are still inside the hotel, holding hostages. At the same time, dozens of guests and staff members have been rescued.
Mohammed, an intelligence security officer, told Reuters, "So far we have confirmed 12 people, mostly civilians, died."
Reuters added that the terrorists had blasted the stairs in a number of locations, in order to make it more difficult to access certain floors.
Dr. Mohamed Abdirahman Jama, director of Mogadishu's main trauma hospital, told AFP on Saturday that his hospital is treating at least 40 people who were injured in the attack and in another attack in the city.
In a statement, one police officer told Reuters that the initial attack on the hotel had been carried out using two car bombs. According to that officer, "One hit a barrier near the hotel, and then the other hit the gate of the hotel."
According to France24, the initial explosion was caused by a suicide bomber forcing his way into the hotel with other gunmen.
On Saturday, al-Shabab's spokesperson Abdiaziz Abu-Musab told Andalus radio that the terror group was still in control of the building and had "inflicted heavy casualties."
Reuters quoted the Somali National Television as reporting that by Saturday evening, as the siege entered its second day, authorities had secured 95% of the building. In addition, large sections of the hotel were destroyed by the fighting.