Abdifatah Aden Hassan, Somali police spokesman confirmed the 10:30 a.m. incident, saying that a suicide bomber wearing explosive vests wrapped around his waist blew himself up, Xinhua also reported.

“A suicide bomber blew himself up at the El Gaab intersection while it was closed, and the device exploded causing casualties,” Aden said in a statement.

Witnesses said the device exploded as Mogadishu was hosting a parliamentary election.

RHM/PR