'Car bomb' kills 15 people in packed market in Somalia

A blast at a busy market in Somalia's capital has killed at least 15 people, police said.

'Car bomb' kills 15 people in packed market in Somalia

Update 5.35pm: The death toll from a car bomb at a marketplace in Somalia's capital Mogadishu has risen to 34 with 52 injured, said a police officer.

Many of the dead were carried away by their relatives soon after the blast, said Captain Mohamed Hussein.

"It was a horrific and barbaric attack only aimed at killings civilians," he said from the scene of the blast.

Sabriye Abdullahi, an ambulance driver said that some of the injured victims died on their way to the hospitals.

"Many of them suffered extensive third degree burns and others were burned beyond recognition," he said.

Earlier: A blast at a busy market in Somalia's capital has killed at least 15 people, police said.

Captain Mohamed Hussein said the powerful explosion, thought to be from a car bomb, tore through shops and food stands in Mogadishu's Madina district on Sunday.

He said the bomb also wounded more than 10 others and casualties may rise as many of the wounded suffered horrific wounds.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.

However, Somalia's homegrown Islamic extremist rebels, al-Shabab, often carry out such attacks.

Despite being ousted from large parts of south and central Somalia, al-Shabab continues to carry out guerrilla attacks in this Horn of Africa nation.

AP

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