Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


                   UN Condemns Deadly Al Shabab Hotel Attack

   by VOA News

   The United Nations Security Council condemned the Somali militant
   group's al-Shabab's attack Sunday on a Mogadishu hotel that left at
   least 12 people dead, including the owner of the hotel, a military
   commander and two lawmakers.

   The council praised the response by Somalia's army, which killed all of
   the attackers, and highlighted "terrorism in all its forms and
   manifestations" as one of the most serious threats to global peace.

   "The members of the Security Council reiterated their determination to
   support Somalia's transition to greater peace and stability.  They
   underlined that neither this, nor any other terrorist attack would
   weaken that determination," said a council statement.

   Authorities said the militants set off a car bomb at the entrance of
   the Sahafi Hotel, after which gunmen stormed the site, which is popular
   with government officials and business executives.

   Somali Security Minister Abdirizak Omar Mohamed told VOA the attackers
   were wearing Burundian military uniforms which he says they may have
   obtained during al-Shabab's deadly attack on a Burundian military base
   in Leego in June this year.

   Among those killed was General Abdikarim Yusuf Dhagabadan, a former
   army commander who led the offensive that forced al-Shabab to retreat
   from Mogadishu in August 2011. General Dhagabadan previously survived
   several al-Shabab attempts on his life.

   Al-Shabab spokesman Sheikh Abdiaziz Abu-Musab claimed responsibility
   for the attack in a statement Sunday.

   In recent months, al-Shabab has blown up another Mogadishu hotel,
   overrun three African Union peacekeepers' bases in Somalia and
   detonated a bomb on the grounds of Somalia's presidential palace.

   The groups controlled most of southern Somalia as recently as 2010, but
   was pushed into the countryside by African Union and Somali government
   forces. The militants carry out frequent attacks, often targeting
   government officials and African Union troops.

   The group seeks to impose a strict form of Islamic law on the country
   and has frequently beheaded, stoned to death or amputated the limbs of
   people accused of various crimes.

   VOA's Somali service contributed to this report.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/un-condemns-deadly-al-shabab-hotel-at
   tack/3032622.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/un-condemns-deadly-al-shabab-hotel-attack/3032622.html