Mogadishu bombing
© Reuters
As many as 20 people have been killed and up to 50 wounded in a reported suicide car bomb blast that ripped through a busy market on Sunday in Mogadishu, Somalia, AP reported a local official as saying.

According to mayor Ahmed Abdulle Afrax, the car exploded near a busy intersection in the Wadajir district where many people were gathered at about 1.30 pm local time.

"Someone had parked the car here and left before it was detonated," local butcher Mohamed Haji told AP.



There are conflicting reports on the death toll, with some saying up to 40 have been people killed.


Witnesses say the the market was destroyed in the blast.

"I was staying in my shop when a car came in into the market and exploded," witness Abdulle Omar said. "I saw more than 20 people lying on the ground. Most of them were dead and the market was totally destroyed."


No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Islamist group Al-Shabaab carried out a number of mortar attacks following the election of new president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed last week.

The group described the new Somali leader as an "apostate," on Sunday and has vowed to continue fighting the government.