MOGADISHU, Somalia - A car bomb has exploded outside a popular restaurant in the Somali capital, Mogadishu on Thursday, the latest in a series of terror attacks across the city, Garowe Online reports.

Garowe Online's correspondent in Mogadishu says 15 people have been confirmed dead in the explosion and 16 others have been injured, some seriously, including a prominent Muslim cleric.

The blast which resulted from a car bomb parked along the busy Makka Al-Mukarama road ripped through Filsan restaurant near Wehliye Hotel, which is often frequented by lawmakers and politicians.

Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the Al-Qaeda-linked extremist group, Al-Shabab carried out similar attacks on hotels, restaurants and government complexes in the seaside city.

"A vehicle loaded with explosives was parked along the street and exploded outside the restaurant at around 1:30 p.m. local times as people were eating lunch," police officer Capt Liban Ahmed, told Garowe Online by phone.

The death toll likely to rise as many in critical condition, he said.

The local ambulances rushed to the scene filled with blood and wreckage everywhere, to help the injured following Thursday's powerful blast which sent plumes of smoke into the air in the capital.

Mogadishu has been hit by deadly car bombs in the weeks, some claimed by Al-Shabaab which still remains a potent threat to the country's security despite being pushed out of the main towns it once controlled.

GAROWE ONLINE