At least four people were killed on Thursday in south-western Somalia when Islamist insurgents raided a hotel where a governor was staying, a local elder said.
The attack occurred in Qasahdere, 335km south-west of the capital, Mogadishu, where Bay region governor Abdufatah Mohamed Ibrahim and other government officials were lodged in a hotel.
“I saw four people killed in the clashes, two of them were policemen guarding the governor,” said local elder Abdi Ganey, adding that eight other guards were wounded.
Contacted by Agence France-Press, the governor said the attack on his delegation took place at about 4am local time, but he was unhurt.
“I am safe and things are okay now after heavy fighting between our forces and armed insurgents who attacked me in Qasahdere. Several people were killed, including some of my guards,” Ibrahim said.
Over the past year, Islamist insurgents have attacked government targets after being ousted from the southern and central regions by Ethiopian-backed Somali troops. — AFP