30 die as militia attacks Somalis 'aiding infidels'

Witnesses described a horrific scene of dead bodies throughout the Muna Hotel and guests scrambling to safety through windows.

The multi-pronged assault came less than 24 hours after the country's most dangerous militant group – al-Shabab, a group allied with al-Qaida – threatened a "massive" war against what it labelled as invaders, a reference to the 6,000 African Union (AU) troops in Mogadishu.

The attack raised the two-day toll to at least 70 people, high even by Mogadishu's violent standards. Fighting that rocked Mogadishu yesterday killed 40 people, said health officials.

Somalia's deputy prime minister said 19 civilians, six MPs, five members of the security forces and two hotel workers were killed in the attack – a total of 32. Two attackers also were killed, said Abdirahman Haji Aden Ibi.

An 11-year-old shoe shine boy and a woman selling tea in front of the hotel were among the dead. A survivor described a frenzied, one-hour battle inside the four-floor, hotel.

Saynab Qayad, an MP staying at the hotel, said she was woken by the sound of bullets.

Three MPs staying on the fourth floor had drawn their guns while other guests scrambled to safety by escaping out the windows, she said.

"Smoke filled my room after bullets smashed my window. I hid myself in a corner of the room. When I came out bullets continued to fly around.

"Hotel staff... put me in a room with four other survivors," she said. "The body of a member of parliament was lying at that small room's door."

A spokesman for the al-Shabab militia, said that members of the

group's "special forces" had carried out the attack against

those "aiding the infidels".

The attack is the latest proof that al-Shabab has moulded itself into a full-fledged insurgent force capable of daring, complex assaults.

Somalia has not had an effective government for 19 years. Islamic insurgents led by al-Shabab have been trying to topple the government from Mogadishu since January 2007.

The AU force has ensured the government stays because the force's mandate is to protect key government officials and installations such as the air and sea port in Mogadishu.