Mogadishu attack: Battle rages in Somali capital as death toll nears 30

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At least 29 people were killed in Somalia's capital Mogadishu after al-Shabaab militants detonated two bombs outside a hotel. Many of the victims were civilians.

At least four gunmen then opened fire on nearby homes and businesses, Dahir Gelle, the country's Information Minister said.

A gun battle between Somali soldiers firing at insurgents hidden in a building next to the Maka Al-Mukarama Hotel. Two soldiers were carried away from the scene.

Dozens of cars were also set ablaze by the blasts - one of the worst attacks to hit Mogadishu in months.

Officials estimated that the bombing wounded at least 80 people.

The militants also took civilian hostages during the attack. Their fate was unclear, although Army Major Musa Ali said many civilians had been rescued.

He added that the militants were fighting with "grenades and Kalashnikov (rifles)".

Referring to a truck bomb that killed more than 500 people in the city in 2017, he added: "The scene is fearful ... in magnitude it is similar to the October 14 bombing. The death toll may rise and rise."

Hospitals in Mogadishu were overwhelmed with the number of casualties after the attack.

Mohamed Hussein, an army captain, said that two soldiers had been killed in the fighting.

The bombing is the latest in a string of attacks in East Africa linked to al-Shabaab. It comes days after US forces in Somalia stepped up air strikes against the group, which is fighting to dislodge a Western-backed government protected by peacekeepers.

The hotel has been a routine target for the group as it is often visited by government officials.

"The government tried three times to enter the building but we repulsed them," said Abdiasis Abu Musab, the militant group's spokesman.

After the bombing frantic residents in the city searched for missing relatives through the night, making countless phone calls to find out if anyone had seen their family members.

"I have been running to and fro from blast scene to hospitals since yesterday evening in search of my husband and brother ...I have just seen them in hospital, they are in critical condition," said Halima Omar. "My husband lost his stomach and my brother suffered severe wounds to both arms."

Additional reporting by agencies