Nine killed by car bomb

ISLAMIC extremists have exploded a car bomb near the presidential palace in Somalia’s capital of Mogadishu, killing at least nine people, including former foreign minister Hussein Elabe Fahiye.

An additional 13 people were wounded and most of the casualties were soldiers.

Somalia-based extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the blast, saying it targeted vehicles carrying government officials.

The car bomb exploded at a security checkpoint as soldiers were conducting checks on vehicles on the main road.