Al-Shabab bomb blast in Somalian capital kills 15 people

Capt. Mohamed Hussein said the blast occurred as the restaurant in Mogadishu's Waberi district was crowded with diners.

An explosives-laden vehicle detonated outside a busy restaurant in Somalia's capital, killing at least 15 people, Somali police said. (Photo | AP) 

Capt. Mohamed Hussein told The Associated Press that the blast occurred as the restaurant in Mogadishu's Waberi district was crowded with diners. (Photo | AP)

The Al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack. The group often targets high-profile areas in Mogadishu with suicide bombings. Those often include security checkpoints, hotels and government offices. (Photo | AP)

Vehicles were tossed into the air by the force of the explosion, which also damaged surrounding buildings. Witnesses said several cars and three-wheel motorbikes were destroyed. (Photo | AP)

The bombing is the latest in a recent string of blasts in Mogadishu, which has been hit frequently by Al-Shabaab attacks. On Saturday, Shabaab gunmen attacked a complex housing government ministries in Mogadishu, killing 11 people including the deputy labour minister. (Photo | AP)

Since then at least four people have been killed this week in three blasts, including car bombs and roadside explosions. Shabaab fighters have been fighting for more than a decade to topple the government. They fled fixed positions they once held in Mogadishu in 2011, and have since lost many of their strongholds. (Photo | AP)

The United States military has dramatically increased the number of deadly airstrikes against al-Shabab since President Donald Trump took office. The US is one of a number of actors fighting al-Shabab, including a multinational African Union force, Somali forces and Kenyan troops. (Photo | AP)