Two explosions have rocked the Somali capital Mogadishu, just two weeks after a huge bomb killed more than 350 people.
The first blast was caused by a car bomb being driven into a hotel. Militants then stormed the building.
The second explosion took place near the former parliament house nearby. The number of casualties is unclear.
The Islamist militant group al-Shabab – which officials blamed for the attack two weeks ago – said it carried out the latest bombings.
Police officer Mohamed Hussein told Reuters news agency: “At least seven people including soldiers and civilians died”.
The city’s Aamin Ambulance said it had already ferried 15 wounded, adding there were “many dead bodies”.
Major Abdullahi Aden told Reuters: “It is a busy hotel frequented by lawmakers, (military) forces and civilians.”
Police official Ibrahim Mohamed told AFP news agency that in the second explosion a “minibus loaded with explosives” went off at a nearby intersection.
The attacks comes as provincial leader gather in Mogadishu for a meeting on Sunday with the government to agree on a united strategy against al-Shabab.
The 14 October attack left at least 358 dead, and another 56 still missing.
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Source: BBC