Gunmen have stormed a hotel in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, causing fatalities, in an attack claimed by the Islamist group al-Shabab.
A vehicle bomb was detonated at the gates of the Naso-Hablod hotel before armed men entered the building, officials said.
The men then fired on people and reportedly took hostages.
Al-Shabab militants frequently carry out attacks in the city in their bid to topple the Western-backed government.
A spokesman for the group told Reuters news agency that it had attacked the hotel "frequented by the apostate government members".
The Naso-Hablod, in southern Mogadishu, is often used by politicians and tourists.
It is not known how many gunmen entered the hotel, nor how many guests were inside.
The number and identities of those killed is not clear.
