At least 13 people are dead and more than 16 are wounded in the assault on the Nasa-Hablod hotel, which is frequented by politicians and other members of Mogadishu's elite, a security official at the Somali police was quoted by ABC news Saturday.

Mohamed Hussein says two of the five attackers have been killed.

Al Shabab has claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack that began with a suicide car bomb exploding outside the hotel gate.