Somali security forces take back the control of Mogadishu mayor's office in the capital on Sunday after ending a siege by al Shabaab militants.

The ministry of information announced the operation was successfully concluded after the security forces killed the six attackers who holed up in the facility for at least six hours.

The statement added that five civilians lost their lives and four others were wounded in the attack by Al-Shabaab which becomes the second of its kind in two months.

The police's special Haram'ad brigade carried out the operation, and also rescued dozens of people from the building which houses the administration of the Benadir region.

The Al-Qaeda-linked group is trying to disrupt ongoing military operations in Somalia by staging car bomb and gun attacks in Mogadishu, where the government is based.

Mogadishu mayor Yusuf Madale was out of his office at the time of the attack which began with explosions and followed by gunfire after gunmen made their way into the ground.

In July 2019, Al-Shabaab carried out a suicide bombing in the building that left dozens of key figures dead and wounded mayor Eng Yarisow who died of his wounded in August.

The security of the capital is fragile as Al-Shabaab frequently hits high-profile targets, including places near the presidential palace.