MOGADISHU, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A Somali intelligence officer survived a car bomb Wednesday near the sports ministry headquarters in Mogadishu, police have said.
"The bomb was fitted in his car and it went off while he was inside. He sustained injuries but he is ok," Abdirizak Nur, a police officer told Xinhua.
Nur said the official could have been the target but noted investigations were already underway to establish those behind the attack.
Witnesses said they heard an explosion meters away from the Sports Ministry and later learned it was a car bomb.
"I heard a huge explosion from the Sport Ministry some minutes ago. We were told a police officer who was in his car was injured," said Mohamed Ugas.
No group has yet claimed responsibility. The attack is a first in close to a month since the militant group Al-Shabaab launched attacks on Mogadishu during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Mogadishu has witnessed relative stability as a multi-agency stabilization force established recently patrols several city streets everyday.
