15 killed as minibus hits landmine in Somalia: Official

Fifteen people died and four others were wounded Wednesday when the minibus they were travelling in ran over a landmine on the outskirts of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, the government spokesman said.

"A heinous incident killed 15 innocent people. This act is an indication (of) how ruthless terrorists are," government spokesman Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu wrote on Twitter, blaming the attack on Al-Shabaab.

He said the attack took place about 50 kilometres (31) miles north of Mogadishu.

Earlier Andikarim Mohamed, a government official from the south-central Hirshabelle region, said 14 had died and four were wounded "after a minibus travelling along the road between Mogadishu and Balcad ran over a landmine."

Somali military commander Abshir Mohamed, who works in the area, also blamed the incident on the Al-Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab Islamists who carry out regular attacks in the country.

"The terrorists are indiscriminately targeting everybody. They planted the mine that had killed those innocent civilians who were going about their business," he told state media.

Witness Mohamud Adan told AFP he saw the "dead bodies of ten people" taken from the scene of the explosion.

Al-Shabaab controlled the capital until 2011 when it was pushed out by African Union troops, but still holds parts of the countryside and carries out regular attacks against government, military and civilian targets.