Beledweyne, located about 335 kilometers (208 miles) north of Mogadishu, is the capital of the Hiran region and a strategic location in Somalia’s fight against al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked group that remains a major threat despite ongoing military operations by Somali forces and African Union peacekeepers.

Armed Islamists have stormed a hotel in the city of Beledweyne in central Somalia, and a siege is ongoing, police and witnesses have said. The attack by al-Shabab began with a car bomb exploding, followed by gunmen entering the hotel, leading to intense clashes with security forces.