A suspected suicide car bomb rammed into the gate of a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu this morning shortly before a second bomb was detonated as security forces and journalists gathered at the scene.

The second blast was caught by a Reuters camera, sending journalists running for cover.

A number of journalists were injured by the bomb blast.

Somalia's militant group al Shabaab was behind the attack, a radio close to the group reported.

"Well-armed mujahideen (fighters) attacked the hotel and now they are fighting inside the hotel," according to a report by Andalus radio, which is linked to al Shabaab.

Politicians often stay at the Dayah hotel. Several people have been reported injured with no word on fatalities.

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