At least 10 people were killed on Tuesday in a car bomb attack on a government building in the Somali capital of Mogadishu that was claimed by Islamist insurgents, Reuters has reported.

A government official said, "More than 10 persons died, 20 others were wounded. The explosion destroyed the building of Wadajir District headquarters. More than 10 cars were destroyed in the explosion."

Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab said that they were behind the attack, and its target was government officials, Reuters said.

"It's a suicide car bomb on Wadajir District building in which Somali officials and their staff stay. There are government and their staff who have died at the scene. We will tell you the number of dead later," said Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab's spokesman for military operations.

Al Shabaab frequently launches attacks in Mogadishu and other areas controlled by Somalia's federal government. It wants to force out African Union peacekeepers, topple the Western-backed government and impose its strict version of Islam