The Somali government announced on Saturday that security forces had arrested 16 suspects in connection with the attack on the SYL hotel in Mogadishu.
The attack, which commenced with bombings followed by gunfire on Thursday, targeted the SYL hotel, frequented by high-profile government officials and businesspeople, near the presidential palace.
Information Minister Daud Aweis stated in a release that the apprehended suspects include mastermind Abdinasir Dahir Nur and four others linked to vehicles used in the attack.
The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) stated, “Following extensive investigation, security forces successfully captured the network responsible for the SYL Hotel terrorist attack. Justice will be served in court for all involved.”
The al-Qaeda-affiliated terror group, Al-Shabaab, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that its terrorists stormed the hotel after bomb explosions and gunfire.
Security forces ended the siege after nearly 13 hours by neutralizing the gunmen. According to the police, three soldiers were killed in the attack, and 27 people, including three MPs, were injured.
Somalia has long been plagued by insecurity, primarily from threats posed by al-Shabaab and the Daesh/ISIS terror groups.
Since 2007, al-Shabaab has been engaged in combat against the Somali government and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), a multidimensional mission authorized by the African Union and mandated by the UN Security Council.
The terror group has intensified its attacks since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, elected for a second term in 2022, declared an “all-out war” on the group.
