Police End Siege at Somali Hotel

Somali police say they have brought an end to a siege at a hotel in the nation’s capital, Mogadishu, by killing the militants involved.

The Somali Youth League (SYL) hotel, often frequented by foreign businesspeople and officials and near to the presidential palace, played host to the siege.

Two members of the security services and three civilians were killed in addition to all five of the gunmen.

Police say they managed to rescue 82 people from the hotel.

The fighting erupted when members of the Somali security services opened fire on Islamist militants belonging to the al-Shabab group at a checkpoint near to the presidential palace.