A suicide car bomber crashed into a gate outside a hotel frequented by lawmakers in the center of the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Wednesday and the attack was followed by gunfire, killing 15 people, police said.
Police said among the dead were two lawmakers. They had previously said at least 10 people were killed. Residents and a Reuters witness said gunfire could be heard in the area around the hotel late into the night.
"Lawmakers Mohamud Mohamed and Abdullahi Jamac died in the hotel. They lived in it," Major Ibrahim Hassan, a police officer, told Reuters. "Many other people including lawmakers were rescued. The operation is about to end now. So far the death toll we have is 15 dead and 20 others wounded."
Al-Shabaab, the anti-government group affiliated with al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack.
Two legislators were among the dead.
"So far we have confirmed that 16 people, mostly civilians, died and 55 others were injured," Major Nur Mohamed, a police officer, told Reuters news agency on Thursday.
He said gunfire had died down at the hotel, adding: "We suspect the roof top is not safe. Security forces are inside from the first to fourth floor."
Government forces have blocked off all the main roads near the hotel.
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