A U.S Africa Command statement on Saturday described the airstrike as carried out Thursday in "collective self-defense" and at the request of the Somali National Army near the town of Cadale in the Middle Shabelle region.

"There is an explosion at Tawakal Hotel and gunshots are heard," Mohamed Nur, a police captain, told Reuters from Kismayo. There was no immediate information about the victims. Witnesses said a large explosion was heard before the shooting began.

Massive increase of food aid so far has prevented country’s hunger crisis from becoming a famine

Saudi Arabia has won a bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games at a planned mountain resort that is part of its $500 billion Neom smart city project.

Residents said two car bombs targeted Lamagalay, the local government headquarters in the eastern district

In latest weeks, Somali safety forces have touted profits made towards al- Qaeda- linked

United States has been carrying out airstrikes in Somalia against al-Shabab, an al-Qaida franchise, for years