Seven killed in Somalia car bomb explosion

At least seven suspected militants were killed Saturday in Somalia when a car bomb exploded outside the country's parliament here, a police official said.

"The suicide car bomb exploded outside the gate of the parliament. Security forces killed seven militants who tried to enter the building," the police official told Xinhua.

Witnesses said that the car sped towards the gate before it exploded outside the parliament building where lawmakers were holding a meeting.

Two police officers at the parliament gate were killed while several others, including civilian passers-by, were injured, witnesses said.

"The car bomb did not manage to get into the building but it detonated outside killing two police officers. Ten people were also injured in the explosion and exchange of gunfire," a witness said.

Radio Mogadishu said that Somali lawmakers were safe, and the attackers were all put down before they could enter parliament.

The Al Qaeda-linked group Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the latest attack on parliament. The radical Islamist group also took responsibility for similar attacks on government targets in Mogadishu.