Al-Shabab Attacks Somali Presidential Palace
by VOA News July 08, 2014
Islamist militants have attacked Somalia's presidential palace, their second major attack on the compound this year.
A spokeman for the prime minister told VOA's Somali Service that all top Somali officials, including President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed and the speaker of parliament, are safe.
The spokesman, Radwan Haji Abdiweli, says the gunmen tried to force their way inside the compound but were pushed back.
Other sources tell VOA that the president was not at the palace at the time.
Militant group al-Shabab claims responsibility for the attack. Reuters news agency quotes a spokesman as saying al-Shabab fighters 'captured some parts of the palace.'
There was no immediate word on casualties.
The attack began with explosions outside the palace late Tuesday afternoon in Mogadishu. Witnesses reported seeing flames and black smoke rising from the compound.
Al-Shabab has stepped up its attacks on government targets in recent months
The al-Qaida-linked militant group first attacked the palace, known as Villa Somalia, in February. The president was unharmed in that attack, but 17 people were killed.
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