"A suicide car bomb that exploded at Ceelgaab junction killed seven people and injured eight others," Muawiye Mudeey, district commissioner of Mogadishu's Hamarjajab district told Reuters.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack, but extremist group al Shabaab, which wants to overthrow the government, frequently carries out such bombings.

A witness at the scene of the blast reported seeing seven cars and three rickshaws destroyed by the blast, and the whole junction covered in blood.