MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) – 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.