At least 10 people are dead after armed attackers took control of a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu following two car bomb blasts and gunfire, police and intelligence officers say.

"Two car bombs targeted Hotel Hayat. One hit a barrier near the hotel and then the other hit the gate of the hotel. We believe the fighters are inside the hotel," said a police officer who identified himself only as Ahmed.

Two intelligence officers, who did not want to be named, also confirmed the incident.

Videos posted on social media showed smoke rising from the area surrounding the hotel, while unverified footage showed a crowd of people running from the scene.

Abdikadir Abdirahman, director and founder of Mogadishu's Aamin ambulance services, said they had so far carried nine wounded people away from the hotel.

There were no more details available on casualties. A witness said the explosions subsided and sporadic gunfire was still heard from the hotel's direction.

The Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a translation by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors Jihadist group statements.

Al Shabaab has been fighting to topple the Somali government for more than 10 years. It wants to establish its own rule based on a strict interpretation of Islamic law.

The Hayat Hotel is a popular venue with politicians and other government officials.

Police officers were conducting an operation aimed at stopping the attack, the state-run Somali National News Agency tweeted, citing a police spokesperson.

The agency also posted a picture showing smoke billowing from above the scene.

Friday's attack is the first major attack since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in May.

Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for similar attacks in the past.

In August 2020, it said it was behind an attack on another hotel in Mogadishu in which at least 16 people were killed.

Reuters