Police in Somalia say nine killed in extremist attack on beachside hotel in Mogadishu
Police in Somalia say nine people, including three soldiers, were killed in Friday night's extremist attack on a beachside hotel in the capital, Mogadishu.
The police statement said 10 other people were wounded while 84 people were rescued from the hourslong assault that ended early Saturday morning.
Al-Qaida's East Africa affiliate, al-Shabab, claimed responsibility for the attack. The Somalia-based extremist group is known for carrying out attacks on hotels and other high-profile locations in Mogadishu, usually starting with a suicide bombing.
Witnesses had told The Associated Press that some people were trapped inside the Pearl Beach hotel, which is popular with government officials. The Lido Beach area is one of Mogadishu's most popular.
Abdulkadir Adan, the director of Amin Ambulance service, said that "what occurred last night was quite tragic as it occurred in an unexpected setting and at an unexpected time."
Mulki Osman told the AP she and her friends "instantly fled for cover" in the restaurant when they heard explosions and gunfire shortly before 8 p.m. Friday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

NDP to form majority government following historic Manitoba election
Wab Kinew’s New Democratic Party is projected to have enough seats in the Manitoba Legislature to form a majority government, taking the helm after two consecutive terms of a majority Tory regime.
Parks Canada reveals additional details about deadly bear attack in Banff
The couple and dog mauled and killed by a grizzly bear in the backcountry of Banff National Park late last week did everything right, Parks Canada says.
Parents want arrest after son 'deliberately kicked' in neck during Edmonton hockey game
A Junior C hockey player says he is lucky to be alive after his neck was sliced open by a hockey skate last week in an act his parents believe – and the referee ruled – was an intentional kick.
Canadian condo sales falling amid concerns over interest rate hikes
Amid consistent interest rate hikes and wavering markets, Canadian condo sales are starting to fall in all but two markets in the nation, according to a new report from Re/Max.
Firefighters work until dawn to clear wreckage of bus crash that killed 21 people in Venice
A bus carrying dozens of people plummeted 15 metres from an elevated road in Venice, causing a fiery crash that killed 21 people and injured at least 15, mostly foreign tourists returning to a nearby campsite.
OPINION Some of the key impacts AI is having on our everyday finances
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, its uses and applications grow even wider. Many people are already using tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google's Bard or Bing Chat to help them write emails, research new subjects and brainstorm business names.
How rate hikes have sparked debate on the causes of inflation and how to fight it
Central banks have been trying their best to convince the public that their interest rate hikes are ultimately for the greater good. But not everyone is buying it.
These are the 5 headlines you should read this morning
Manitoba voters make history, Canada's House of Commons has a new Speaker, and the U.S. House of Representatives ousts its Speaker.
5 people wounded in shooting after homecoming event at Baltimore university
A shooting interrupted a homecoming week celebration at Baltimore's Morgan State University on Tuesday, wounding five people and prompting an hourslong lockdown of the historically Black college.