A police officer who requested not to be named told Xinhua there were many casualties at the scene. A second blast went off shortly after the first in the same location.
Residents said huge smoke was billowing at the scene after a huge explosion followed with gunfire was heard outside the hotel.
Emergency services were evacuating the wounded persons after suspected suicide bomber detonated Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device ouside the hotel.
A witness said a second explosion went off just when a truck tried to tow a small vehicle from the scene as rescue teams were trying to access the scene.
The attack happened as the country's leaders converged in Mogadishu for a high level security meeting following the October 14 truck bombing that killed more than 350 people. The meeting is scheduled to kick of Sunday.
(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Doraiah Chowdary Vundavally is a Software engineer at VTech . He is the news editor of SocialNews.XYZ and Freelance writer-contributes Telugu and English Columns on Films, Politics, and Gossips. He is the primary contributor for South Cinema Section of SocialNews.XYZ. His mission is to help to develop SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgement towards any.