By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, (AA): At least 10 people were killed more than eight others wounded when a car bomb targeted a busy market in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Saturday.

Abdi Fatah Hallane, a spokesman for the Banadir regional administration– in which Mogadishu is located — confirmed to Anadolu Agency that the explosion was a car bomb.

The market, known as Suqa Berta, is in the city’s Waberi district and is one of the most frequented in Somalia. It is also close to the country’s main police headquarters.

“It is very early to say how many people were killed or injured, but we know that insurgents attacked innocent people,” Hallane said.

However, an Anadolu Agency correspondent at the scene reported at least 10 fatalities.

Abdirisack Hassan Afrah, an eyewitness, told Anadolu Agency he saw a lot of wounded people, including women who had been shopping in the market.

Somali security forces, including police, military and agents from Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency attended the scene.

It is feared the death toll will rise.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility but al-Qaeda linked al-Shabaab militants have owned up to other recent attacks in Somalia.

Saturday’s attack comes two days after a car bomb in Mogadishu killed a senior U.A.E.-trained Somali-Yemeni military figure who al-Shabaab claimed was an intelligence officer.

[Archive photo: Somalia-wreckage-of-car-after-suicide-attack-outside-Criminal-INvestigation-Dept-HQ-Mogadishu-31-july-16-pho-Nour-Gelle-Gredi-AA-1.jpg