A car bomb went off on Tuesday early in the morning outside the president’s residence in the capital, Mogadishu, causing destruction to the nearby hotels.
“A suicide car bomb exploded outside the presidential palace. So far two hotels opposite the palace are partially destroyed,” Major Mohamed Ali, a police officer, told Reuters by phone.
The same reports went live on social media with indicating that the huge explosion was heard at Mogadishu.
Somali Youth League Hotel is located some 550 meters from Villa Somalia which serves as the official residential palace and principal workplace of the President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Preliminary reports indicate that two Goob-Joog Radio FM in Mogadishu journalists were injured as the explosion rocked near SYL hotel in Mogadishu.
AlShabaab has claimed responsibility for detonating the truck bomb attack near SYL hotel in front of Somalia’s presidential palace
The explosion is reported to have left civilians and soldiers injured, with unconfirmed reports indicating that two people have died from the explosion. Heavy gunfire has been reported after the explosion went off.
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