17 killed in Somalia restaurants attacks

At least 17 people were killed and 26 others injured when two restaurants in Somalia's capital Mogadishu were attacked by militants, police said on Thursday.

An emergency team said confirmed that it has found 17 bodies, but it had to "stop rescue work as the area became too dark while bombings are still going on", reports Xinhua news agency.

On Wednesday night, a suicide bomber drove a car loaded with explosives into the Posh restaurant in Hodan district and detonated it, according to a senior police official.

Simultaneously, a group of gunmen then bombed the Pizza House, a restaurant near Posh, and clashed with security personnel, he added.

The two restaurants are frequented by government officials and young people.

Heavy gunfire could be heard inside Pizza House where an unknown number of hostages were held, the police said.

Somalia-based al-Shabaab terror group has claimed responsibility.

--IANS

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