Death toll from Mogadishu attack rises to 17

MOGADISHU - The death toll from the Mogadishu bombings on Thursday evening has risen to 17 while 60 others sustained injuries, a policeman said.

Police officer Aden Afrah told Xinhua on Friday morning that the blast occurred near the Hotel Makkah Al-Mukaramah at the Somali capital's busy road of Maka Al-Mukarama, where al-Shabab detonated a truck laden with explosives, engaging the hotel's security guards in a gunfight.

"More bodies were found under the rubble and the death toll is 17 people. We are making efforts to help those missing," the officer said.

Afrah added that a number of gunmen gained entry into a building near the hotel, and security forces were still exchanging gunfire early Friday with suspected al-Shabab militants to subdue them.

Pictures from the site showed massive destruction with vehicles burning as the busy Maka Al-Mukarama street turned into a horror scene.

Security forces worked round the clock to rescue several civilians who were trapped inside the building where the al-Shabab is still holed up.

Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of Aamin Ambulance Service, said that the rescue is ongoing but there are some people still under the collapsed building, including women and children.

"We increased the number of our rescue teams and ambulances operating on the scene to respond quickly to calls from the injured civilians at Maka Al-Mukarama road in Mogadishu," said Abdirahman.

A witness told Xinhua the explosion ripped through nearby structures and the reverberation could be felt from a distance.

"This was one of the most powerful explosions in Mogadishu. Several structures were destroyed around the street," said Salad Sheikh, who witnessed the incident.

The massive blast which could be felt in various parts of the city happened at around 9 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Thursday. Police said the truck loaded with explosives detonated, destroying several buildings along the road.

The al-Qaida affiliated group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the latest attack, saying that it targeted the Hotel Makkah Al-Mukaramah, which is popular with politicians and government officials as well as high-profile businessmen.