Unidentified attackers storm restaurant in Somali capital - witness, ambulance services

Unidentified attackers stormed a restaurant in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Friday using explosives and guns, wounding at least seven people, a witness and the capital's ambulance services said.

The attack on the popular upmarket Pearl Restaurant, on the capital's Lido Beach, happened early on Friday evening.

"We heard a blast and then gunfire followed. Then we heard another blast. We think the attackers are inside, we still hear an exchange of gunfire," Hussein Mohamed, a waiter at another restaurant nearby, told Reuters.

"The whole area is cordoned by forces."

Abdikadir Abdirahman, the director of Aamin Ambulance Services , said they had so far received seven people who had been wounded at the hotel.

"We are still there for service," he said.

A security officer who only identified himself as Ahmed said they were trying to get occupants out of the restaurant.

"The attackers are inside the restaurant," he said.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack.

In previous similar incidents, the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab terror group have claimed responsibility.