Extremists storm government office in Somalia's capital; 5 dead

People gather by their destroyed shops after a suicide bomber detonated at the Banadir regional administration in Mogadishu, Sunday, Jan.22, 2023. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia's government says five civilians were killed when al-Qaida-linked extremists stormed a regional government office in the capital on Sunday.

The founder of the Aamin ambulance service, Abdulkadir Adan, told The Associated Press his team collected 16 wounded people from the scene.

The al-Shabab extremist group claimed responsibility for the assault on the Banadir Regional Administration headquarters in Mogadishu.

A staff member at the headquarters said the attack began with a suicide bombing before gunmen entered and exchanged fire with security guards. The staffer, Mustafa Abdulle, said most of the workers were rescued by security forces.

Al-Shabab often carries out attacks in Mogadishu. The federal government last year declared "total war" on the extremist group and has retaken a number of communities the fighters had controlled in central and southern Somalia.