Car bomb in Somali capital kills at least 5 people

Mohammed Dhaysane and Hassan Istilla

MOGADISHU, Somalia

At least five people including a mother and her child were killed in a car bomb attack targeting a small restaurant near Mogadishu’s seaport on Wednesday evening, officials said.

Adan Nur, a police officer in Hamar-Jajab district where the incident took place, confirmed the deaths to Anadolu Agency.

"What we can confirm you is that at least five people including a mother and her baby boy were killed and more than 10 others, mostly civilians, were wounded mostly civilians", Nur said over the phone.

The wounded were rushed to Madina and Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospitals in Mogadishu for treatment, he added.

Mogadishu municipality spokesman, Abdifatah Omar Hallane also confirmed to reporters the death toll.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but Somali-based insurgent group al-Shabaab had claimed recent attacks in the capital.

Wednesday's attack came a day after five people were killed, and several others wounded in a suicide bomb attack on a military checkpoint in Bosaso, a coastal town located in northeastern Somali Barri region. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack.