Somali minister killed in al Shabaab attack in Mogadishu

Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Investment Promotion has confirmed the death of his colleague minister, Burci M. Hamza in the al Shabaab attack on a hotel on Saturday evening.

‘‘My condolences to the family & loved of State Minister Burci M. Hamza. He was an asset to Somalia. May Allah SWT bless him,’‘ Abdusalam H. Omer tweeted.

BREAKING: Somalia FM confirms that Minister of State for Environment Buri M. Hamza was killed in Al-Shabab attack https://t.co/hvqMinJCDv

— Harun Maruf (@HarunMaruf) June 26, 2016

The minister had earlier tweeted his condolences to family of all those who died in the attacks including staff of a news portal that covers Somalia and the Horn of Africa, who lost three members of staff.

Some local media are reporting that the death toll may have risen from the initial 15 reported to about 20. The police had also confirmed that all the gunmen involved in the attack were neutralized.

The attack on the hotel in the center of the capital Mogadishu killed at least 15 people according to police. The police further disclosed that the attack started with a suicide bomb and was followed by exchange of gunfire.

The insurgent group claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes weeks after a similar attack on the Ambassador hotel on June 1, claimed 10 lives.

The group has been exchanging fire with Somali forces and also the African Union force in the country. Their latest casualty being the killing of the mastermind of an attack on Kenya’s Garissa university college.