Islamist gunmen have stormed a hotel close to Somalia's presidential palace and killed at least 32 people, including six MPs. The men disguised as government soldiers approached the Muna hotel, opened fire on a guard, then one of them blew himself up inside the building. Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage from the al-Shabab Islamist militia said its special forces were behind the raid. The hotel attack comes on the second day of heavy fighting between al-Shabab and troops of the transitional government, who are backed by the African Union. At least 45 other people have also been killed in fierce fighting and more than 150 wounded, with shells being fired into residential areas. The government controls only a few key areas of the capital. The rebels said the attacks were in retaliation for Uganda's deployment of troops to Somalia with the African Union – AU – force. The AU has responded by saying it will send extra troops to bolster its force in Mogadishu. Somalia has experienced almost constant conflict since the collapse of its central government in 1991.