Suicide car bomb rams into religious centre in central Somalia: Al Shabaab

Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

A car bomb struck near a religious centre in central Somalia on Monday and armed gunmen stormed inside to attack a controversial cleric, a local elder and the Al Shabaab group said.

"A suicide car bomb rammed into the centre of the controversial cleric called Abdiweli. Now the militants are inside and firing at those inside," Farah Nur, an elder in the town of Galkayo, told Reuters.

Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.

"A car bomb rammed into the centre of the man who insulted the prophet. Our militants are now inside and fighting goes on," said Abdiasis Abu Musab, a spokesman for the militant Islamist group.