Story highlights Somali diplomat to the United Nations in Geneva was among those killed, government says

Witness: Attackers detonated car bomb, then shot people inside hotel

Hotel is popular with lawmakers, journalists and business people

Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN) Gunmen detonated bombs and sprayed people with bullets as they raided a hotel in Somalia's capital late Friday afternoon, killing a Somali diplomat and at least five other people in an attack claimed by Islamic militant group Al-Shabaab, officials said.

Yusuf Mohamed Ismail Bari-Bari, Somalia's permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, was among those killed in the attack at the the Makka Al Mukarama hotel in Mogadishu, the Somali government said.

The attack began around 5 p.m. when a car bomb exploded at the hotel's entrance, according to witness Aden Hussein, who said he was meters away from the hotel when the blast happened.

Gunmen then went inside the hotel, shooting people, Hussein said.

One of the attackers, wearing a belt with explosives, blew himself up inside the hotel, police Capt. Ahmed Abdi said

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