At least four people were killed and several others injured as an explosion hit a restaurant in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Saturday, police said.

Police officer Abdishakur Farah told Xinhua at the scene that a car laden with explosives detonated outside the Blue Sky Restaurant.

The restaurant is located near a prison run by the National Intelligence and Security Agency.

Witness Mustafa Sheik said a huge explosion was heard followed by a large plume of smoke rising from the area.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Somalia's Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab often carries out similar attacks in the country.

Source : XINHUA