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Somali car explodes in Mogadishu's Bakara market Somali car explodes in Mogadishu's Bakara market
(about 1 hour later)
A car has exploded inside the main market in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, police say. A car has exploded inside the main market in the Somali capital after a hand grenade was thrown into the vehicle, police have told the BBC.
There are no details on any casualties from the blast in Bakara market yet. It was carrying police officials, four of whom were wounded, he said.
Eyewitnesses told the Reuters news agency that the car was carrying men wearing military uniforms. It happened during one of the busiest shopping days, on the eve of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
No group has said it carried out the blast but al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab has staged many attacks in Mogadishu since being driven out of the city by pro-government forces in 2011. No group has said it carried out the blast but al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab has staged many attacks in Mogadishu since being driven out of the city in 2011.
The police told the BBC a senior police officer had been wounded in the attack, but would not give further details until its investigations were complete. The police official said the four-wheel drive vehicle caught fire after the grenade detonated at about 10:30 local time (07:30 GMT) and later blew up.
Police official Mohamed Hussein said the bomb was concealed inside a Somali military pick-up truck and had wounded at least five government soldiers, AP news agency reports. The BBC's Mohamed Mwalimu in Mogadishu says officers from a nearby police station rushed to the scene, shooting in the air to disperse the crowd.
Hussein Nur, a money exchanger, said it was a four-wheel drive vehicle that exploded. The market was partially closed for several hours.
"Immediately gunfire opened up. We are not sure who is doing it. The men in the car looked like soldiers," he told Reuters. Business has been booming in Bakara market over the last two years - and whilst insecurity is still an issue, there have not been many attacks there recently, our reporter says.
The city is extremely busy with shoppers preparing for the Muslim fasting month, he says.
But the government has warned the public that the Islamist militants tend to be more active during Ramadan, he says.
Al-Shabab is fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia - and despite being pushed out of key cities in the past two years still remains in control of smaller towns and large swathes of the countryside.Al-Shabab is fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia - and despite being pushed out of key cities in the past two years still remains in control of smaller towns and large swathes of the countryside.
Some 18,000 African Union troops are in Somalia supporting the government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected by MPs last September.Some 18,000 African Union troops are in Somalia supporting the government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected by MPs last September.
His administration is the first one in more than two decades to be recognised by the US and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).His administration is the first one in more than two decades to be recognised by the US and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).