Alwaght- More than 30 people have been killed and several others wounded in a massive car bomb attack outside a hotel in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.
The blast on Saturday, in the central city's K5 Junction which is lined with government offices, hotels and restaurants, destroyed several buildings and set dozens of vehicles on fire.
The explosion was followed by exchange of gunfire between security forces and terrorists around and inside the popular Safari Hotel.
Witnesses said the blast, which threw a thick cloud of smoke into the sky that could be seen across the city, badly damaged a nearby hotel and left scenes of devastation on the busy road.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility so far. Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group fighting to overthrow the internationally recognized government, has carried out frequent gun, grenade and bomb attacks in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia.
Al-Shabaab has lost most of the territory it controlled to African Union peacekeepers and government troops in recent years.
The Takfiri terrorist group still launches frequent deadly gun, grenade and bomb attacks in high-profile areas of Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government.
