Somalia’s security forces have ended an overnight attack by the al-Shabaab Islamist militant group on a hotel in the southern port city of Kismayu that killed at least 26, the regional president says.
Police earlier stated the death toll was 13.
Members of the the al-Qaeda-linked group stormed the hotel after targeting it with a car bomb on Friday while local elders and lawmakers were meeting to discuss approaching regional elections.
All four attackers were shot dead by police.
A presidential candidate for upcoming regional elections was killed in the attack, Jubbaland president Ahmed Mohamed said.
Those killed also included Kenyans, Americans, British and Tanzanians.