According to police, both officers and civilians were among the victims, who had been drinking tea outside the General Kaahiye Police Academy on Thursday.
“The explosion occurred under trees where residents of the area spend time to rest,” a police statement said.
Al-Shabab, the armed group linked to al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group frequently targets military and state institutions in its efforts to overthrow Somalia’s government, which has launched an ongoing offensive against it.
Resident Mohamed Ali told The Associated Press news agency that he heard a loud blast. “The cafe was full of people enjoying their tea, and then everything was chaos,” he said.
According to witnesses, rescuers quickly arrived after the explosion.
A paramedic at Madina Hospital said several injured people were receiving treatment. “We are working to rehabilitate the wounded, many of whom sustained severe injuries,” she said.
In August, more than 30 people were killed in an attack on a public beach in Mogadishu, which led to protests against al-Shabab.
The government has heavily relied on the support of foreign troops to stay in power. It has also joined forces with local armed groups to fight al-Shabab in a campaign supported by an African Union force and United States air raids.
Somalia is currently assuming security responsibilities from foreign troops, whose deployment under the African Transition Mission in Somalia is set to end in December.
