MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Somali police official said a legislator in the country's HirShabelle regional state parliament has been killed in a car bomb explosion in the Somali capital on Thursday afternoon, Garowe Online reports.

Capt. Mohamed Yusuf said that Abdiweli Mohamed Ibrahim was killed after a bomb planted under his car exploded at the entrance of London gate restaurant in Mogadishu's Hamarweyne district.

The blast also wounded another person, who was traveling with Ibrahim in the car and a staff member of the London gate which is frequented by Somali Intelligence officers, MPs, and the city's elite.

There was no claim of responsibility for the car bombing, but, Al-Shabab often targets Somali government officials, civil servants, and security personnel in Mogadishu.

Al-Shabab was driven out of the capital in 2011, but the al-Qaida-linked Islamic group frequently carry out attacks against Somali forces, African Union [AU] peacekeepers, and foreigners.

Thursday's blast comes a day after Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar arrived in Somali capital for a two-day visit and held talks with Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo as well as inspected the Turkish military training academy. 

GAROWE ONLINE