At least five members of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) were killed, and 14 others were reportedly wounded in a car bomb attack on their camp in Mogadishu on Wednesday.

The attack happened in the Garasbaley district on the western outskirts of the capital, where security forces have been conducting searches in recent days to prevent potential militant attacks.

Among the casualties was Fahad Salad Mohamed, the personal driver of the NISA commander for the western sector of the capital.

A vehicle with explosives targeted at security forces camp gate resulting in the fatal explosion. Witnesses reported seeing ambulances and security force vehicles rushing away with the dead and injured, though official details of the attack have not yet been disclosed.

The attack marks a significant blow to the ongoing security operations in the region. The explosion took place in an area where security forces had been actively engaged in house-to-house searches, highlighting the persistent threat posed by militant groups in the area.

Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group that has been engaged in a prolonged insurgency against the Somali government, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group has continued its campaign of violence despite ongoing counter-terrorism efforts by Somali forces and their international allies.