Car bomb kills eight, injures 11

MOGADISHU (AP):

A car bomb killed eight people and wounded two members of parliament in Somalia's capital yesterday, officials said, in an attack claimed by a spokesman for Somalia's Islamist insurgency.

A car parked near a hotel in Mogadishu exploded, police commander Ahmed Hassan Maalin said. Eight people were killed and 11 were seriously injured, Somali parliamentarian Mohamud Abdullahi Wehelie said.

Two parliamentary members were among those wounded, parliamentary member Dahir Iro said.

Wehelie called the explosion a "cowardly and heartless attack".

Twitter message

The Somali militant group al-Shabab claimed the attack in a Twitter message, saying the target was a restaurant frequented by senior government officials, members of parliament and intelligence personnel.

African Union troops supporting the weak UN-backed government have largely pushed al-Shabab out of Mogadishu, but the militants continue to carry out roadside and suicide bombings in the capital.

Somalia has not had a functioning central government for more than 21 years.