Eight killed in Mogadishu blasts

At least eight people were killed as two car bombs exploded outside a hotel in Somali capital city, BBC reported Thursday.

The blasts were at the Jazeera hotel close to Mogadishu's airport, which is popular with Somali politicians.

According to reports, the blasts were followed by exchanges of fire between security forces and the attackers.

Al Shabab, the Somali Islamist militant group driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, claimed responsibility for the attack.