Suicide blast kills 4 near parliament in Somali capital

At least four people, including soldiers were killed and five others wounded in a suicide car bomb attack targeting a security checkpoint near the parliament in capital Mogadishu on Sunday afternoon, according to police.

Police chief Gen. Bashir Abdi Mohamed told reporters the suicide attacker was among the four dead.

"What we can confirm is that a suicide car bomb blast belonging to al-Shabaab exploded here, as you can see, killing himself and three others, including soldiers," Bashir said from the crime scene.

The injured were rushed to hospitals for treatment, he said.

The police chief added that security forces also captured two vehicles full of explosives during security operations in Mogadishu.

According to Somali media, another car bomb blast took place in Sinka Dher village in the outskirts of Mogadishu on Sunday, which killed at least two people.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks but the police chief blamed al-Shabaab armed group for being behind them.

On Thursday, at least 14 people were killed and more than six others wounded in a suicide attack in Mogadishu; al-Shabaab had claimed responsibility for the attack.