Al-Shabaab extremists killed three people after an hours-long siege at a prominent hotel near the presidential palace in Mogadishu, Somalia.

According to Somali police spokesman Colonel Qasim Ahmed Roble, security officers killed five gunmen in a gun battle.

PHOTO | COURTESY Al-Shabaab Besieges Hotel In Mogadishu, Somalia

Armed fighters assaulted the SYL hotel in a spray of bullets late Thursday, and security forces announced that the situation had been brought under control after more than 13 hours.

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"Three people died in the attack, and 27 others, including 18 civilians and nine soldiers, were wounded," Roble told a press conference, adding that three parliamentarians were among those injured.

"The situation at the hotel is back to normal now," he told reporters.

PHOTO | COURTESY Militants

Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack on the SYL hotel, which had previously been targeted. It took place early in the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

The incident was condemned "in the strongest terms" by the US.

The US embassy in Mogadishu said in a statement, "The US has a shared interest with Somalia in advancing peace and prosperity, and we remain committed to assisting Somali efforts to defeat Al-Shabaab."

PHOTO | COURTESY Militants

The administration has not commented publicly, although photos on state television showed President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visiting the injured in the hospital.

The SYL hotel was last targeted by Al-Shabaab in 2019, killing five.

It is close to the Villa Somalia government complex, which houses the presidential palace, the prime minister's office, and several ministries.