At least seven people are injured after unidentified attackers stormed a restaurant in the Somali capital Mogadishu using explosives and guns. (iStock)

Somalia’s security forces are conducting an operation to neutralise fighters belonging to al Shabaab who attacked a hotel in the capital Mogadishu on Friday, the state news agency said, while the group claimed responsibility for the attack.

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.

“Security forces are currently conducting an operation to neutralize al Shabaab militants who attacked civilians at a hotel on Lido beach in Mogadishu,” Somali National News Agency said on Twitter.

“Many civilians have been rescued from the scene and the operation is ongoing.”

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.

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab said it was behind the attack.

“The Mujahideen managed to enter the Pearl beach and are still fully in control,” the group said in a statement.

This article has been updated with al Shabaab saying it was behind the attack.