Somalia: Senior officers arrested for al-Shabaab hotel attack
Somalia authorities have arrested senior police and intelligence officials, accusing them of being involved in an attack carried out by the militant group al-Shabaab in a Mogadishu Hotel.
The arrest of the officers was disclosed to Horseed Media by reliable government insiders on Thursday who requested not to be named as they were not authorised to speak on the matter.
At least 10 officials have been detained and are being investigated for allegedly shirking their responsibilities during the militants attack on Hotel SYL, which is close to the Presidential Palace.
Among the arrested are generals and colonels, the source added.
It was learnt that the security of the hotel area had been under fully control by the Somali government soldiers and roads nearby closed.
The militants managed to cross several checkpoints with their car packed with explosives that was used for the suicide mission.
At least four people including two security guards died in the attack which was claimed by al-Shabaab immediately.
At the time of the attack, a Turkish delegation – most of them diplomats and security personnel were meeting Somali officials to discuss on the tentative of President Erdogan visit to the capital.
Security analysts have on various occasions raised questions on the attacks al-Shabaab has continously labelled on areas heavily guarded in Mogadishu, claiming there are individuals from the security agencies giving support the group’s missions
