Police stand guard at the site of a blast in Somali capital Mogadishu on July 4, 2020. At least seven people have been injured following a huge blast in the Somali capital here early Saturday, a medical charity said. (Photo by Hassan Bashi/Xinhua)
MOGADISHU, July 4 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people have been injured following a huge blast in the Somali capital here early Saturday, a medical charity said.
Abdikadir Abdirrahman Haji Aden, director of Aamin Ambulance, said the injuries were caused by a suicide car bomber at a seaport in the restive capital.
Police have not yet confirmed casualties, saying a suicide bomber attempted to force his car laden with explosives through a checkpoint in front of Mogadishu's revenue headquarters, but the security forces opened fire at the car, killing the bomber.
"The vehicle later exploded, resulting in casualties," said a police officer at the scene who did not want to be identified.
Somali government spokesman Ismael Mukhtar Omar said only the suicide bomber died in the blast.
Halima Abdi, a witness, said he heard a heavy explosion and saw dark plumes of smoke billowing from the scene.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the al-Shabab militant group has conducted several such attacks in the city.
