Somali hospital and police sources say the death toll from a string of bombings near a popular hotel in Mogadishu has risen to 53 with more than 100 injured.

Captain Mohamed Hussein, a senior Somali police officer, said many of the injured suffered horrific wounds, raising fears that the death toll could rise further.

Islamic extremists exploded four bombs outside the hotel in the capital, Mogadishu on Friday afternoon. After the three explosions in front of the hotel, a fourth blast hit as medics attempted to rescue the injured.

“Most of these people were civilians who were passing by the area when the attack occurred,” Abdulahi Ahmed, a Somali security official, said.

Mogadishu faces frequent bombings at the hands of al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida affiliate which has been fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed Somali government for over a decade.

Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility.

The blasts occurred near the Sahafi hotel and Criminal Investigation Division (CID) police headquarters.

“The target of the attack was the Sahafi hotel and even though the attackers used car bombs to make their way into the premises, the security forces stopped them,” said Ahmed.

“All of the four al-Shabaab attackers were killed outside” the hotel building, he said.

According to sources, the fatalities included the son of the owner of the hotel, Abdirashid Ilqeyte, who was killed in an al-Shabaab attack on the establishment in November 2015.

Al-Shabaab were forced out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011.

But they still control parts of the countryside and attack government, military, and civilian targets, seemingly at will, in Mogadishu and towns in the region.