Somalia car bomb blast kills 5 outside restaurant

A car bomb exploded on Monday outside a restaurant packed with lunchtime customers in the Somali capital of Mogadishu killing at least five people, said witnesses.

The restaurant in the capital's Hamarweyne district is close to the municipal government headquarters and in a busy commercial area.

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Mohammed Mahdi said he saw at least five people covered in blood outside the headquarters, while shopkeeper Yusuf Ali said the car bomb exploded while the area was filled with shoppers.

After the blast, a young girl was crying outside the restaurant screaming "where is my sister?" before finding her bloodied body lying next to a burnt out car.

Al-Shabab, which has ties with al-Qaeda, has been carrying out a campaign of deadly violence targeting government officials and international soldiers, as well as hotels and restaurants in the capital.

Neighbouring Kenya, which has sent soldiersto fight Islamic extremists in Somalia, has also been repeatedly attacked by al-Shabab.

"Now, their attacks are random regardless of whether it's in a public place or a government institution," saidAbdillahiHassan, a tailor, who witnessed the attack.

"The car bomb was detonated outside a restaurant in which civilians were dining it was a sad incident," said Abidqadir Mohammed, the commissioner of the district.

al-ShababJournalist executed

The attack came as the Somali government announced the execution of a former journalist linked toal-Shababfor the murder of five journalists.

Journalists are also frequently targeted in Somalia and it is one of the most dangerous countries for media workers. At least 18 journalists were killed last year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Hassan Hanafi Haji was executed by firing squad at the Mogadishu police academy after being extradited from Kenya.

Haji was a liaison officer with al-Shabab and known for threatening journalists for not reporting in favour of the extremist group. Haji later led al-Shabab's media unit, inviting journalists to press conferences and giving them tours of battlefields.

Haji was one of the few prosecuted by the government following years of criticism by rights groups who urged authorities to do more to establish the rule of law and end the killings of journalists.