The Islamist extremist group has targeted hotels multiple times over the years, including in February 2019 when it killed at least 20 people in a car bomb and gun attack on a hotel in Mogadishu that lasted for nearly 24 hours.
A month before that, Al-Shabaab killed 21 people in a siege on an upscale hotel in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, an assault that highlighted its ability to expand its network beyond Somalia's borders.
Its last major attack in Mogadishu was in December 2019, when it slaughtered 81 people by detonating a vehicle packed with explosives.
Somalia senior analyst for International Crisis Group, Omar Mahmood, expressed the challenges in knowing whether the relative lull in the group’s terrorist activity this year reflects a capacity improvement on the part of Somali security forces or a change in strategy by Al-Shabaab.
Latest Stories
-
Kwame Boafo Akuffo: Court ruling on re-collation flawed
2 minutes -
Samuel Yaw Adusei: The strategist behind NDC’s electoral security in Ashanti region
4 minutes -
I’m confident posterity will judge my performance well – Akufo-Addo
16 minutes -
Syria’s minorities seek security as country charts new future
56 minutes -
Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo re-appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana
1 hour -
German police probe market attack security and warnings
1 hour -
Grief and anger in Magdeburg after Christmas market attack
1 hour -
Baltasar Coin becomes first Ghanaian meme coin to hit DEX Screener at $100K market cap
2 hours -
EC blames re-collation of disputed results on widespread lawlessness by party supporters
2 hours -
Top 20 Ghanaian songs released in 2024
2 hours -
Beating Messi’s Inter Miami to MLS Cup feels amazing – Joseph Paintsil
3 hours -
NDC administration will reverse all ‘last-minute’ gov’t employee promotions – Asiedu Nketiah
3 hours -
Kudus sights ‘authority and kingship’ for elephant stool celebration
3 hours -
We’ll embrace cutting-edge technologies to address emerging healthcare needs – Prof. Antwi-Kusi
3 hours -
Nana Aba Anamoah, Cwesi Oteng special guests for Philip Nai and Friends’ charity event
4 hours