Six killed in dawn attack on a hotel in Bossaso

Six people including four security guards and assailants have been killed in a dawn attack on a hotel in Bossaso, Northern Somalia.

The attack carried out by several gunmen suspected to be Al-Shabaab happened at around 6am on Wednesday at Village Hotel in the outskirt of  the Gulf of Aden port town.

The men who invaded the hotel were armed with AK-47 rifles and grenades.

Our correspondent in Bossaso says heavily armed men raided the hotel leading fighting between the hotel guards and the attackers.

A security officer who spoke to our correspondent said they engaged the assailants.

“We have now killed two attackers,” he said. “They came under cover of darkness and attacked the hotel while some of the guards were sleeping.”

No group has claimed the responsibility but Al-Shabaab  launches periodic bomb-and-gun attacks against hotels and other places where government officials are known to congregate.

The group has been fighting since 2006 to overthrow the government and set up a strict Islamic state.