Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN) At least five people, including three military officials, were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up Saturday morning at a busy restaurant in the Somali town of Galkayo, a military official said.

"A man wearing an explosive vest has detonated himself in a crowded restaurant in northern Galkayo targeting security officials drinking tea early in the morning, killing three security officials and two soldiers," said Ahmed Abdullahi Yusuf, the minister of security for Puntland, a federal state in northeastern Somalia.

Eight people were injured, said Capt. Abdi Jama, a police officer in the town. He cautioned that the death toll may rise as some of the injured were in a critical condition at a local hospital.

Al-Shabaab, the al Qaeda-linked terror group, claimed responsibility for the bomb attack in a statement posted on pro-rebel websites, saying the bomber had managed to enter the restaurant and killed five Somali army commanders.

Galkayo is about 750 kilometers (466 miles) northeast of Mogadishu, the Somali capital.</s>File: A suicide bomber blew himself up in a military camp in the Somali town of Galkayo on Saturday, killing four officers, officials said, an attack claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group. Photo: REUTERS/Feisal Omar

BOSASO, Somalia – A suicide bomber blew himself up in a military camp in the Somali town of Galkayo on Saturday, killing four officers, officials said, an attack claimed by the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group.

The dead included a military commander and two colonels, the town's mayor, Hirsi Yusuf Barre, told Reuters.

The camp houses a force made up of soldiers from the country's semi-autonomous regions of Puntland and Galmudug who have been integrated into the federal army under efforts to unite the fractured country.

"The death toll may rise," police officer Abdirahman Haji said.

Al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab, said it killed five people in the attack.

Al Shabaab is fighting to topple Somalia's central government and establish its own rule based on its interpretation of Islamic law.

Since withdrawing from Mogadishu in 2011, the group has lost control of most of Somalia's cities and towns. But it still retains a strong presence in regions outside the capital.</s>Suicide attack kills at least 5 in Somalia

At least five people, including a colonel, were killed Saturday when a suicide attacker blew himself up near a military camp in the city of Galkayo in the north-central Mudug region of Somalia, officials said.

"An enemy man wearing an improvised device blew himself up near our military facility, killing our commander, Col. Abdi Hukun Abdullahi and two other officials" Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud, Somali army colonel said in a news conference in Galkayo.

Two civilians including a woman were killed and more than six other people including soldiers sustained injuries, he added.

Ahmed Abdullahi, security minister for the autonomous northeastern Somali region Puntland, also confirmed the casualties in a news conference.

The al-Qaeda-affiliated Somali group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

Galkayo is the capital region of Mudug.</s>BOSASO, Somalia, April 28 (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed three senior military officials in the Somali town of Galkayo on Saturday, police said, an attack claimed by the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group.

The officers, including a military commander, were killed in their camp in the town, police officer Abdirahman Haji said. "The death toll may rise," he added. (Reporting by Abdiqani Hassan; additional reporting by Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar in Mogadishu; Editing by George Obulutsa and Andrew Heavens)</s>BOSASO, Somalia - A suicide bomber blew himself up in a military camp in the Somali town of Galkayo on Saturday, killing four officers, officials said, an attack claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group.

The dead included a military commander and two colonels, the town’s mayor, Hirsi Yusuf Barre, told Reuters.

The camp houses a force made up of soldiers from the country’s semi-autonomous regions of Puntland and Galmudug who have been integrated into the federal army under efforts to unite the fractured country.

Al-Shabaab’s military operation spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab, said it killed five people in the attack.

Al-Shabaab is fighting to topple Somalia’s central government and establish its own rule based on its interpretation of Islamic law.

Since withdrawing from Mogadishu in 2011, the group has lost control of most of Somalia’s cities and towns. But it still retains a strong presence in regions outside the capital.</s>MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali police say a suicide bomber has killed three police officers including a senior commander in the central city of Galkayo.

Col. Ahmed Hashi says the bomber apparently was targeting the commander of a special police force tasked with the security of the divided city.

Hashi says three other people were wounded in the blast.

Galkayo city is split into two parts controlled by rival regional administrations, Puntland and Galmudug, and for years it has experienced deadly battles between the two sides.</s>According to the local Garowe Online news agency, the bomber blew himself in a busy restaurant, approaching the officials. The media outlet has also identified two killed military authorities as Col Abdihukun Abdullahi Mohamud (also known as) Horreye, and Abdiqani Ahmed Khaire.

As the media informed, the blast took lives of at least six people and injured eight others.
A suicide bombing in a restaurant in Galkayo, Somalia, kills three military officials and two soldiers. Eight more people are injured, some critically. al-Shabaab claims responsibility.