A suspected suicide bomber detonated an explosives-packed car at the gate of a popular hotel in
Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, according to police.
"Shooting is taking place. It is too early to know more details," Major Ali Hussein, a police officer at the scene, told the Reuters news agency, shortly before a second blast was heard in the area.
Several Somali journalists said on social media that the target of the attack was Dayah Hotel, located near Somalia's parliament in central Mogadishu.
There were no immediate reports of casualties and no immediate claim of responsibility.
Armed group al-Shabab has carried out a series of deadly attacks in Somalia to try to topple the country's Western-backed government.