• At least six confirmed dead following a hotel attack by al-Shabab in Beledweyne, Somalia.
• A car bomb detonated before militants stormed the Qahira Hotel, where local leaders were meeting.
• Somali security forces ended a 24-hour siege, killing all attackers and launching airstrikes on other al-Shabab militants.

Armed militants from al-Shabab laid siege to the Qahira Hotel in Beledweyne, Somalia on Tuesday, resulting in a deadly attack that has left at least six people dead, including two prominent traditional elders. This assault was characterized by a powerful car bomb explosion followed by a gunfight as the gunmen stormed the building, where local leaders were deliberating on countering the militant threat according to BBC. Eyewitness reports noted significant destruction, with footage depicting thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the hotel.

The Beledweyne District Commissioner, Omar Alasow, stated that six militants were killed, while the precise number of civilian casualties is still unconfirmed. While some sources allege that up to ten individuals may have perished, discrepancies in the death toll persist with claims of higher casualties reported by Africanews.

Following the siege's conclusion early Wednesday, Somali security forces executed a series of airstrikes targeting al-Shabab in nearby regions, successfully killing at least 50 militants, as well as capturing critical information on further insurgent activities as noted by Voice of America. This operation is part of the government’s ongoing campaign against the group, which is infamous for several attacks on government structures and personnel.

Beledweyne, located about 335 kilometers north of Mogadishu, is deemed a vital area in the fight against al-Shabab, which has posed a continuous threat to the Somali government for over sixteen years. The group has been responsible for numerous assaults across the region and operates within rural territories reported Africanews.