At least 6 dead in al Shabaab attack on Somalia's capital

At least six people were killed on Monday in al Shabaab attack on a local government building in Somalia’s capital, the director of an ambulance service and a Reuters witness said.

“We have carried six dead people and 16 others injured. The death toll may rise,” Abdikadir Abdirahman, director of Amin Ambulance service, told Reuters.

Residents in Hodon indicated that a car, apparently loaded with explosives, hit the gates of the district headquarter, about 3km from Villa Somalia, the state house.

Gunfire was also heard, indicating an exchange of fire between attackers and defenders of the centre.

Smoke rising to the sky was visible from distance as ambulances and firefighters were moving to the affected area.

The jihadist group, Al-Shabaab on September 2 claimed responsibility for an attack on the headquarter of Howlwadag District in Mogadishu, which caused the death of at least seven people, including two children.