Car bomb attack in Somalia kills 4 people.

Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - At least four people have been confirmed dead and three others wounded in a suicide car bomb attack targeting a U.S.-trained Somali special forces base outside the capital of Mogadishu on Saturday morning.

Senior Somali security official Mohammed Bayhal told Anadolu Agency that the car bomb had killed one soldier and three civilians.

“This was a suicide car bomb, with which al-Shabaab were attempting to attack a security base in Sinka Dheer but our forces foiled the attack. One soldier was killed. Three other civilians who live near our base were also killed,” Bayhal, said.

Ali Mohamoud, an eyewitness, confirmed to Anadolu Agency that an attack had indeed taken place.

“I heard a huge loud explosion. I went to the scene, saw three people dead and four wounded around the base,” Mohamoud said.

Sinka Dheer is located some 18 kilometers (11 miles) southwest of Mogadishu.

Al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack through their radio channel Andalus, adding they had killed 10 security forces and wounded nine others.