At least 17 dead as three car bombs explode in Somalia

Three car bombs exploded outside a hotel in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. At least 17 people have been reported dead. The blasts appeared to be suicide bombs that detonated near the perimeter wall of the hotel. Security forces shot dead four gunmen who tried to storm through a hole in the hotel's wall but did not succeed in entering. No group immediately claimed responsibility but Islamists from the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group have mounted regular attacks in the capital. The police said that guards at Hotel Sahafi and CID officers opened fire after the blasts.