Five dead in al-Shabab attack on Mogadishu hotels

MOGADISHU, Somalia, July 10 (UPI) -- Al-Shabab militants claimed responsibility for attacks at two hotels in Somalia's capital of Mogadishu on Friday, which killed five people.

The attacks started around 6:10 p.m. local time while people were gathering for iftar, or breaking the Ramadan fast. Car bombs exploded at the gates to the Weheliye and Siyaad hotels and gunmen stormed the locations, Voice of America reported.

The National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia tweeted the situations at both hotels were under control. Weheliye is located near parliament and Siyaad is near the presidential palace.

"Only cowards attack during iftar!" the agency tweeted.

Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack, the BBC reported.

Meanwhile, the BBC said there was a simultaneous mortar attack on an African Union base in Somalia. It's unclear if there were injuries related to the incident.