At least 31 people including six government officials were killed on Tuesday in the Mogadishu hotel attack by gunmen, the Somali government said.

The Somali government said in a statement that at least 31 people including six members of parliament had been killed in the hotel attack.

It said the six members of parliament were inside the hotel when the attack occurred.

The attack also killed several government security personnel, it added.

The raid came as the heavy fighting between the Islamist fighters from Al Shabaab and the government forces enters its second day in the past two days left about almost 50 people dead and more than 150 others wounded.

Islamist group Al Shabaab on Monday called on its fighters to wage "an all-out war" against Somali government forces and AU peacekeeping troops, saying that everyone should contribute in every possible way.

They have accuse the AU troops of invading Somalia and vowed to continue the fight against the peacekeepers until they withdraw from the war torn country.

Somalia had not had an effective central government since 1991.