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MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) \u2014 An explosion and gunfire rocked a hotel by the beach in Somalia’s capital city of Mogadishu, and security forces rushed to the scene, authorities and witnesses said Friday night.<\/p>\n
The state-owned Somali National News Agency said security forces had \u201cneutralized the attackers.\u201d There was no immediate word on deaths and injuries.<\/p>\n
Al-Qaida\u2019s East Africa affiliate, al-Shabab, said through its radio that its fighters carried out the attack.<\/p>\n
Lido Beach, a popular area in Mogadishu, is bustling on Friday nights as Somalis enjoy their weekend.<\/p>\n
A witness, Mohamud Moalim, told The Associated Press in a phone call that he saw an attacker wearing an explosive vest moments before the man \u201cblew himself up next to the beach-view hotel.”<\/p>\n
Moalim said some of his friends who were with him at the hotel were killed and others were wounded.<\/p>\n
Another witness, Abdisalam Adam, told AP that he \u201csaw many people lying on the ground\u201d and had helped take some injured people to the hospital.<\/p>\n
The Lido Beach area has in the past been targeted by militants allied to al-Shabab. The most recent attack last year resulted in nine people being killed<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n