Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN) At least five people, including three military officials, were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up Saturday morning at a busy restaurant in the Somali town of Galkayo, a military official said.

"A man wearing an explosive vest has detonated himself in a crowded restaurant in northern Galkayo targeting security officials drinking tea early in the morning, killing three security officials and two soldiers," said Ahmed Abdullahi Yusuf, the minister of security for Puntland, a federal state in northeastern Somalia.

Eight people were injured, said Capt. Abdi Jama, a police officer in the town. He cautioned that the death toll may rise as some of the injured were in a critical condition at a local hospital.

Al-Shabaab, the al Qaeda-linked terror group, claimed responsibility for the bomb attack in a statement posted on pro-rebel websites, saying the bomber had managed to enter the restaurant and killed five Somali army commanders.

Galkayo is about 750 kilometers (466 miles) northeast of Mogadishu, the Somali capital. </s> BOSASO, Somalia, April 28 (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed three senior military officials in the Somali town of Galkayo on Saturday, police said, an attack claimed by the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group.

The officers, including a military commander, were killed in their camp in the town, police officer Abdirahman Haji said. "The death toll may rise," he added. (Reporting by Abdiqani Hassan; additional reporting by Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar in Mogadishu; Editing by George Obulutsa and Andrew Heavens) </s> Suicide attack kills at least 5 in Somalia

At least five people, including a colonel, were killed Saturday when a suicide attacker blew himself up near a military camp in the city of Galkayo in the north-central Mudug region of Somalia, officials said.

"An enemy man wearing an improvised device blew himself up near our military facility, killing our commander, Col. Abdi Hukun Abdullahi and two other officials" Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud, Somali army colonel said in a news conference in Galkayo.

Two civilians including a woman were killed and more than six other people including soldiers sustained injuries, he added.

Ahmed Abdullahi, security minister for the autonomous northeastern Somali region Puntland, also confirmed the casualties in a news conference.

The al-Qaeda-affiliated Somali group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

Galkayo is the capital region of Mudug. </s> File: A suicide bomber blew himself up in a military camp in the Somali town of Galkayo on Saturday, killing four officers, officials said, an attack claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group. Photo: REUTERS/Feisal Omar

BOSASO, Somalia – A suicide bomber blew himself up in a military camp in the Somali town of Galkayo on Saturday, killing four officers, officials said, an attack claimed by the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group.

The dead included a military commander and two colonels, the town's mayor, Hirsi Yusuf Barre, told Reuters.

The camp houses a force made up of soldiers from the country's semi-autonomous regions of Puntland and Galmudug who have been integrated into the federal army under efforts to unite the fractured country.

"The death toll may rise," police officer Abdirahman Haji said.

Al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab, said it killed five people in the attack.

Al Shabaab is fighting to topple Somalia's central government and establish its own rule based on its interpretation of Islamic law.

Since withdrawing from Mogadishu in 2011, the group has lost control of most of Somalia's cities and towns. But it still retains a strong presence in regions outside the capital. </s> MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali police say a suicide bomber has killed three police officers including a senior commander in the central city of Galkayo.

Col. Ahmed Hashi says the bomber apparently was targeting the commander of a special police force tasked with the security of the divided city.

Hashi says three other people were wounded in the blast.

Galkayo city is split into two parts controlled by rival regional administrations, Puntland and Galmudug, and for years it has experienced deadly battles between the two sides. </s> BOSASO, Somalia - A suicide bomber blew himself up in a military camp in the Somali town of Galkayo on Saturday, killing four officers, officials said, an attack claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group.

The dead included a military commander and two colonels, the town’s mayor, Hirsi Yusuf Barre, told Reuters.

The camp houses a force made up of soldiers from the country’s semi-autonomous regions of Puntland and Galmudug who have been integrated into the federal army under efforts to unite the fractured country.

Al-Shabaab’s military operation spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab, said it killed five people in the attack.

Al-Shabaab is fighting to topple Somalia’s central government and establish its own rule based on its interpretation of Islamic law.

Since withdrawing from Mogadishu in 2011, the group has lost control of most of Somalia’s cities and towns. But it still retains a strong presence in regions outside the capital. </s> Five dead in Shabaab suicide car bomb at Somalia hotel

At least five people were killed and 28 injured when jihadists exploded a suicide car bomb outside a popular hotel close to the presidential palace in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Tuesday.

"We have confirmed five people killed including security guards", police officer Mohamed Abdulkadir said.

He said the vehicle rammed through a checkpoint and was fired on by security forces before it exploded outside the SYL hotel.

The hotel is situated close to the main entrance to the Villa Somalia government complex that includes the presidential palace, ministry buildings and residences.

"The blast was very huge but thanks to God the number of casualties is less than the devastation suggests," Abdulkadir said.

"We have received 28 people who were wounded in the blast," said Mohamed Yusuf, director of the city's main Medina hospital.

A witness described seeing a large blast and a thick plume of smoke that rose high into the air.

"I saw a car speeding towards the area and huge smoke and fire went up in the sky," said Elmi Ahmed.

An AFP journalist at the scene described widespread damage to buildings in the area. The blast left a crater in the road, nearby walls collapsed and debris scattered across the usually busy carriageway.

The Al-Qaeda aligned Shabaab jihadist group said it was responsible for the attack, saying the SYL hotel was targeted because it "is close to the presidential palace, and also home to apostates and unbelievers."

The group claimed to have killed 30 in the "martyrdom operation" and said a number of ministers and MPs were injured.

The claim could not immediately be verified but the Shabaab frequently exaggerates the impact of its attacks.

The fortified hotel, popular with government officials, business people and visiting diplomats and delegations, was previously attacked in both February this year and January last year.

The January 2015 attack killed at least five people when a suicide car bomber rammed the hotel gates on the eve of a visit by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In February this year 14 people were killed when twin blasts were triggered close to the hotel and the neighbouring Peace Garden on a busy Friday afternoon.

Both previous attacks were also claimed by the Shabaab, which quit the capital five years ago but continues to launch attacks against government, military, civilian and foreign targets in its fight to overthrow the internationally-backed government.

The group is expected to try and violently disrupt elections due to be held in September and October.

The jihadists have also staged repeated attacks in neighbouring Kenya and a recent security analysis warned the group was expanding its horizons with cells active in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as well as Somalia. </s> A suicide car bombing by al Shabaab militants on two neighbouring restaurants in Somalia's capital Mogadishu killed 18 persons. Later reports said gunmen were killed by security forces.

The attack began around 8 pm on Wednesday evening with a suicide car bombing at the Post Treats restaurant and club, after which gunmen stormed inside the nearby Pizza House restaurant. Both venues are popular with affluent, young and diaspora Somalis and were busy on Wednesday, with customers breaking their Ramadan fast.

"The operation is over now and the gunmen were killed by the security forces," said Mohamed Ahmed Arab, spokesman for Somalia's security ministry.

"They have attacked business places and killed innocent civilians, 18 civilians were killed, including a Syrian national, and more than 10 others were wounded," he said.

Reports said the gunmen spent the night roaming the restaurant, killing those they found trapped before security forces intervened.

Gunmen were also holding at least 20 people hostage in a restaurant, police said.

"The fighters are still inside Pizza House and they hold inside over 20 people. We do not know how many of those are dead or alive," Ibrahim Hussein, a police major, told Reuters.

Earlier on Wednesday, police said nine people, mostly women who were hotel staff, had died in the attack. Security officials said a suicide attacker had rammed an explosive-laden car into the hotel's entrance before gunmen stormed the restaurant.

"A suspected car bomb is also parked in front of Pizza House. This and snipers have made it difficult for the security forces to head inside,’ said Hussein.

Other officials said victims inside the hotel had been safely evacuated, but there are likely to be more casualties. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks; the group has carried out a campaign of suicide bombings, in its bid to topple the Somali government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam.

"A mujahid (fighter) with his suicide car bomb martyred himself after he rammed into the Posh Hotel, which is a nightclub. The operation goes on," Abdiasis Abu Musab, the group's military spokesman, told Reuters.

Since losing large swathes of territory to African Union peacekeepers supporting the government, the group has frequently launched raids and deadly attacks in Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government.

The East African country has been hit by armed conflict since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other. </s> A suspected suicide bomber detonated an explosive-laden vehicle outside of a restaurant and hotel in the Somali capital on Wednesday, killing at least four people and wounding several others, police said.

The blast targeted the Pizza House restaurant, a popular eatery in Mogadishu, and the Posh Hotel a few meters away. The car exploded at the restaurant’s gate.

Initial reports claimed gunmen rushed inside the restaurant soon after the explosion; however Capt. Mohamed Hussein said it was unclear whether there was a hostage situation underway.

Most of the victims were young men who were entering the Pizza House at the time, Hussein said.

Unconfirmed reports said at least seven people were killed in the blast. Witnesses reported sporadic gunfire was heard in the area.

Al-Shabab, a Somalia-based extremist group that often targets popular area in Mogadishu, claimed responsibility.

“A mujahid (fighter) with his suicide car bomb martyred himself after he rammed into Posh Hotel, which is a nightclub. The operation goes one,” Abdiasis Abu Musab, the group’s military spokesman, told Reuters.

The group has vowed to step up attacks after the recently elected government launched a new military offensive against it.

Abas Ahmed, who was at a nearby restaurant when the explosion happened, told i24News that he saw "the dead bodies of several people and others who were injured."

Wednesday's explosion was the second suicide car bomb outside an eatery in Mogadishu in two months. In early May, 8 people were killed when a car bomb exploded outside Bar Italia. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility.

Al-Shabab last year became the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa, with more than 4,200 people killed in 2016, according to the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

The extremist group also faces a new military push from the United States after President Donald Trump approved expanded operations, including airstrikes, against al-Shabab. On Sunday, the U.S. military in Africa said it carried out an airstrike in southern Somalia that killed eight Islamic extremists at a rebel command and logistics camp.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A suicide bombing in a restaurant in Galkayo, Somalia, kills three military officials and two soldiers. Eight more people are injured, some critically. al-Shabaab claims responsibility.