The incident took place in the center of the city where government offices, hotels, restaurants, and shops are located, police say.

“It was a truck bomb. It exploded at the K5 Junction,” Mohamed Hussein, a police officer, told Reuters. “There are casualties but we do not know the exact amount as the scene is still burning.” 

AP cited police as saying that at least six people have been killed. 

Hussein told AP that the explosion occurred as security forces were following the truck that had raised suspicions. The blast apparently targeted a local hotel, he added. 

A witness told Reuters that the explosion was followed by gunfire.

The incident took place two days after the head of the US Africa Command was in Mogadishu to meet with Somalia’s president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Al-Shabab militant group based in Somalia has recently staged attacks on army bases and city centers across the southern and central parts of the country.