武装分子袭击索马里酒店至少20人丧生

Somali rescue workers say at least 20 people were killed and more than 50 injured Wednesday in an attack by militants on a Mogadishu hotel.

Witnesses tell VOA's Somali Service that a truck bomb was detonated outside the Dayah Hotel just before 9 a.m. local time. Gunmen then stormed the damaged building, shooting at guests and exchanging gunfire with security forces.

Islamic militant group al-Shabab, which has carried out similar attacks on hotels and key installations in the city, claimed responsibility for the attack on its website.

About 40 minutes after the attack, a second explosion went off near the hotel. Witnesses told VOA's Somali Service the car which brought militant fighters to the hotel was detonated, possibly by remote control.

At least seven journalists were among those injured in the second explosion, according to Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimu, Secretary General of National Union of Somali Journalists.

索马里救护人员表示，武装分子星期三对索马里首都摩加迪沙的一间酒店发动袭击，造成至少20人死亡，50余人受伤。

目击者告诉美国之音索马里语言组说，当地时间早上近九点时，达亚酒店外一辆卡车上的炸弹被引爆，枪手随即冲击酒店，对酒店建筑造成破坏，向酒店客人开枪，并与保安人员交火。

索马里青年党在网站上宣称对此次袭击负责。该组织此前曾对摩加迪沙的酒店和地标建筑实施过类似袭击。

炸弹爆炸大约40分钟后，酒店外又发生了第二次爆炸。目击者告诉美国之音索马里语言组说，武装分子搭乘的汽车被炸毁，可能是通过遥控起爆。

索马里记者全国联盟秘书长穆罕默德·易卜拉欣·莫阿利穆说，第二次爆炸至少造成7名记者受伤。