Gunmen kill four guards in hotel attack in Somalia

Gunmen attacked a hotel in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region on Wednesday (February 8), according to a Reuters report.

Four guards were killed in the attack. According to reports, a group declaring allegience to the Islamic State Agency has claimed responsibility for the attack.

There have been contradicting reports with some claiming that Al Shabab terror group behind the incident.  

Three fighters stormed the International Village Hotel, the governor of Bari region Yusuf Mohamed told Reuters: "Four guards and two of the attackers died in the fighting." 

The report added that the militants did not enter the main building of the hotel, which is popular with foreigners and government oficials.

"Fortunately, the attackers did not enter the rooms. The fighting took place inside the compound. A third fighter escaped and we are pursuing him. All the people in the hotel are safe," Mohamed told the AhlulBayt News Agency.

According to terrorist intelligence reporting group Intelcenter.com, Somalia topped the chart of top countries for terrorist attacks in 2015, with four incidents reported, accounting for almost a quarter (24%) of total hotel attacks in 2015.