Deadly suicide attack in Somali capital: police

MOGADISHU: A suicide bomber killed at least six people and wounded six more in a massive blast at a police station in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, Sunday evening, police said.

The attack targeted the station at Waberi, in the south of the city, on the busy Maka Al-Mukaram road.

"The blast was so huge that it destroyed parts of the building," Somali police commander Ibrahim Mohamed, told AFP.

Somali police spokesman Sadik Dudishe told AFP: "Six people, four of them civilians and two police officials, died in a suicide attack targeting a police station."

Among the victims was the police commissioner at the station, who they believed had been the target of the attack, he added. Another six people were wounded, said Dudishe.

"I was shocked inside my vehicle amid the blast," said Hassan Mohamed, who was at the scene. "I saw several people lying in the road."

Police temporarily closed off the busy road, said witnesses.

Although the Al-Shabaab group has not yet claimed the attack, the militants who are linked to Al-Qaeda regularly carry out attacks in the capital.

Al-Shabaab has been fighting to overthrow Somalia's federal government since 2007 and launches regular attacks against government and civilian targets.