At least five people were killed when a vehicle laden with explosives blew up in Mogadishu on Tuesday, a local official said, the latest attack in the troubled Somali capital.

The blast occurred at a checkpoint near the presidential palace just as the Horn of Africa country’s new prime minister unveiled his government lineup.

“The vehicle was stopped at the checkpoint for security screening when it went off. At least five people were killed including security personnel and 10 others wounded,” said Abdifatah Omar Halane, spokesperson for the Mogadishu administration.

“The blast was so huge, I saw smoke and dust all over the area,” witness Abdukadir Yusuf said.

“I was on top of my house not very far away from the area, it was near the theatre and close to the presidential palace.”

Somalia’s new Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre earlier Tuesday unveiled his new cabinet, made up of 26 ministers including six women, after almost a month of political bargaining.

The Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab militant group, which is fighting to overthrow the government, has been blamed for a string of attacks in Mogadishu.

The Shabaab was forced out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011 but still controls parts of the countryside and carries out attacks against government, military and civilian targets in Mogadishu and regional towns.

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For more news your way, follow The Citizen on Facebook and Twitter.</s>MOGADISHU: A car bomb exploded at a checkpoint less than a kilometer away from the presidential compound in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Tuesday, police said.

"A suicide car bomb rammed into a checkpoint near the national theatre. It is too early to know details and casualties," said Ahmed Hussein, a police officer.

The theatre is about 300 meters away from the heavily-fortified compound known as Villa Somalia, which also houses other government agencies.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the explosion. In the past, al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has taken responsibility for blasts and gun attacks in the capital.

Al Shabaab has been able to carry out deadly bombings despite losing most of its territory to African Union peacekeepers supporting the Somali government.

The group's insurgency aims to drive out the peacekeepers, topple Somalia's western-backed government and impose its strict version of Islam on the Horn of Africa state.

Somalia swore in a new leader last month. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has promised al Shabaab's fighters "a good life" if they surrender.</s>At least four people were killed on Tuesday when a car bomb exploded at a checkpoint less than a kilometre away from the presidential compound in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, police said. Security officials at the scene told media the checkpoint was rammed by a car bomb driven by a suicide attacker, causing a blast outside a theatre. “At least four people, including government soldiers and civilians, died in the blast. Several others were injured,” said Mohamed Hussein, a police officer.

“Casualty numbers may rise. There were pedestrians along the street at the time of the explosion,” he told Reuters. The theatre is about 300 metres away from the heavily fortified compound known as Villa Somalia, which also houses other government agencies. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the explosion. In the past, al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has taken responsibility for blasts and gun attacks in the capital.

Al Shabaab has been able to carry out deadly bombings despite losing most of its territory to African Union peacekeepers supporting the Somali government. The group’s insurgency aims to drive out the peacekeepers, topple Somalia’s western-backed government and impose its strict version of Islam on the Horn of Africa state. Somalia swore in a new leader last month. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has promised al Shabaab’s fighters “a good life” if they surrender.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App now</s>MOGADISHU, Somalia — A car bomb exploded Tuesday at a military checkpoint near Somalia's presidential palace in the capital, killing at least six people, the spokesman for Mogadishu's mayor said.

The dead included a soldier and five civilians, Abdifitah Halane said. Another dozen people were injured.

The blast was detonated after soldiers tried to stop the car and the bomber tried to speed through the checkpoint, police Capt. Mohamed Hussein said.

The checkpoint is one of several that motorists must go through before reaching the heavily guarded presidential palace, which has seen previous attacks by the al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but al-Shabab often claims deadly bombings in Mogadishu.

The blast came a few hours after Somalia's new prime minister unveiled a 26-member cabinet, the latest step as the fragile central government tries to further assert itself beyond the capital.

The threat of al-Shabab attacks is a major challenge for the country's new Somali-American president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who has vowed to make security a priority in this Horn of Africa nation.

But the extremist group, which was kicked out of Mogadishu under Mohamed's brief term as prime minister in 2010-2011, has denounced the new president as an "apostate" and warned Somalis against supporting him.

Al-Shabab has lost most of its key strongholds across south and central Somalia to a multi-pronged offensive by allied Somali and African Union forces. But despite being ousted from most cities and towns, the group continues to carry out deadly attacks, many by suicide bombers, including in Mogadishu.</s>A car bomb killed at least five people and wounded 11 others Tuesday outside a security checkpoint near the presidential palace in Mogadishu, Somalia.

A regional government spokesman said the bomb blew up in front of the Somali National Theater. He said three of those killed were soldiers.

Al-Shabab Islamic militants claimed responsibility. The al-Qaida-linked group has been behind numerous terrorist attacks in Mogadishu, including bombings and shootings in hotels and restaurants where government officials gather.

Al-Shabab terrorism is one of the biggest challenges that new Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is facing.

The militants have declared him an "apostate" and are warning Somalis not to support him.

Al-Shabab remains a danger in Somalia despite being beaten back by Somali and African Union forces.</s>A car bomb exploded Tuesday at a military checkpoint near Somalia's presidential palace in the capital, killing at least six people, the spokesman for Mogadishu's mayor said. The blast was detonated after soldiers tried to stop the car and the bomber tried to speed through the checkpoint, police Capt.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The Tribune.</s>MOGADISHU, Somalia — Police in Somalia say a car bomb has exploded at a military checkpoint near the presidential palace in the capital, killing at least five people.

Capt. Mohamed Hussein says Tuesday's blast was detonated after soldiers tried to stop the car.

Hussein says three other people have been injured.

Witness Ahmed Ali says he saw the bodies of two soldiers after the blast.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.

Extremist group al-Shabab often claims responsibility for deadly bombings in Mogadishu.

The blast comes a few hours after Somalia's new prime minister unveiled a 26-member cabinet.</s>Blast near the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu targeted a security checkpoint with soldiers among the dead.

Mogadishu, Somalia - A deadly car bomb blast targeting a security checkpoint near the Presidential Palace in the Somali capital has killed at least five people and wounded several others.

Security officials at the scene told Reuters news agency on Tuesday the checkpoint 500 metres from the palace was rammed by a car bomb driven by a suicide attacker, causing the explosion outside a theatre.

"At least five people were killed including security personnel and 10 others wounded," said Abdifatah Omar Halane, spokesman for the Mogadishu administration, told AFP news agency.

Mohamed Hussein, a police officer, said: "Casualty numbers may rise. There were pedestrians along the street at the time of the explosion."

Radio Kulmiye journalist Farhio Hussein told Al Jazeera the victims included Somali soldiers at the checkpoint in downtown Mogadishu. The scene of the blast was close to second gate of Presidential Palace.

"I was at the radio station when I heard huge bang of the explosion. I opened the window and saw huge black smoke. I counted five charred bodies lying on the scene," Hussein said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab, which is fighting to overthrow the Somali government, has been blamed for a string of attacks in Mogadishu.

Al-Shabab was forced out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011 but still controls parts of the countryside and carries out attacks against government, military, and civilian targets in the capital and regional towns.

Last week, at least five people were killed and 12 others injured in two separate car bombings in Mogadishu.

As well as insecurity, Somalia is also battling famine, with three million going hungry because of a drought that is also affecting other parts of Africa.</s>Security officials at the scene told Reuters the checkpoint was rammed by a car bomb driven by a suicide attacker, causing a blast outside a theatre.

"At least four people, including government soldiers and civilians, died in the blast. Several others were injured," said Mohamed Hussein, a police officer on Tuesday.

"Casualty numbers may rise. There were pedestrians along the street at the time of the explosion," he told Reuters.

The theatre is about 300 metres away from the heavily fortified compound known as Villa Somalia, which also houses other government agencies.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the explosion. In the past, al-Qaeda-linked al-shabab has taken responsibility for blasts and gun attacks in the capital.

Al-Shabab has been able to carry out deadly bombings despite losing most of its territory to African Union peacekeepers supporting the Somali government.

The group's insurgency aims to drive out the peacekeepers, topple Somalia's western-backed government and impose its strict version of Islam on the Horn of Africa state.

Somalia swore in a new leader last month. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has promised al-Shabab's fighters "a good life" if they surrender.</s>Extremist group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for a deadly explosion that police say killed 10 people Tuesday afternoon in Mogadishu, Somalia.

At least 15 people were injured in the bomb explosion at a busy security checkpoint in the country’s capital, according to Somali federal police Maj. Ahmed Ibrahim. The blast was caused by an explosive-laden vehicle about 150 meters from the entrance of Villa Somalia, the presidential palace in Mogadishu, Ibrahim said.

The attack occurred hours after Somalia Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre appointed his new Cabinet.

The dead include a soldier who attempted to fend off the car bomb, and several women selling Khat on the roadside, said Abdifitah Omar Halane, a spokesman for the Mogadishu mayor.

Somali security forces sealed off the area, where a thick column of white smoke rose into sky. Local ambulances rushed in and carried away wounded to hospitals in Mogadishu.

Al-Shabaab, which claimed responsibility for the attack through its Radio Andalus, announced 20 had been killed, though the terror group is known to exaggerate the death totals of its attacks.

Mogadishu is subject to frequent attacks as Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked terror group, seeks to turn the country into a fundamentalist Islamic state.

This is the second car bomb attack the group has claimed responsibility for this month, and the fourth since the beginning of the year. On March 13, four people were killed in two attacks, while a February car bomb left 30 dead and a January explosion killed 21.
A car bomb explodes at a checkpoint near the Villa Somalia, the President of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's official residence in Mogadishu, killing at least five people.