Somali Special Forces Battle Militants Holding Hostages

Heavy gunfire rang out across central Mogadishu on Friday as Somali special forces battled to dislodge insurgents who bombed a hotel, killing at least 29 people, then holed up with hostages in a neighboring building. Islamist al-Shabab fighters set off an explosive outside the Hotel Maka Al-Mukarama late Thursday, leaving rescuers to dig through the rubble. Another bomb exploded a short time later about 1 km (0.6 miles) away. "The scene is fearful. ... The death toll may rise and...

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