Witnesses in the Somali capital report hearing heavy gunfire at a hotel close to the presidential palace.
VOA Somali reporter Abdulkadir Mohamed Abdulle says he could hear ongoing gunfire in the vicinity of Hotel SYL.
Somali lawmaker Mahad Salad told VOA that militants are attacking the hotel. He says some people have been rescued from the building by security forces.
The hotel has twice been the target of attacks by al-Shabab militants in recent years.
Al-Shabab has already claimed responsibility for this latest attack.