Somalia: URGENT NEWS - Al Shabaab claim attack on Turkish mission in Somalia, 6 dead and 9 wounded.

Turkish embassy staff carry their wounded colleague on a stretcher after a suicide car bomb attack at the gates of an office housing Turkish embassy staff in Somalia's capital Mogadishu July 27, 2013.Credit: Reuters/Feisal Omar

Mogadisho  - Blood and body parts littered the ground outside Turkey's embassy in Somalia on Saturday afternoon, the grisly result of a blast that police said left six dead and nine wounded.

A minivan packed with explosives went off around 5 p.m. in the heart of Mogadishu, just a few meters from the Turkish diplomatic post, said police Col. Ahmed Mohamud.

When it was over, two Somali security guards, a university student and three attackers were dead, according to Mohamud.

Turkish embassy sources said that two of its staff members were among the wounded.

Al Shabaab was pushed out of bases in Mogadishu by Somali and African forces about two years ago, raising hopes of a return to relative security in a city hit by years of war.
But the militants have kept up guerrilla-style attacks and continue to control large rural areas, challenging the authority of a government less than a year old.

The group has carried out several brazen attacks in the last two months, including one on an African peacekeeping convoy that killed 8 and another on the main U.N. compound in Mogadishu that killed 22 people.

Security agents stand guard at the gates of the office housing the Turkish embassy staff following a suicide car bomb attack in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, July 27, 2013.  Credit: REUTERS/Omar Faruk

"A suicide car bomb targeted a building housing Turkish embassy workers near K4 (Kilometre Four)," police officer Ahmed Mohamud told Reuters from the scene of the blast.

Three people were killed and nine others were wounded, he said.

"The car was taking advantage of a Turkish car that was going into the building, thus the car bomb exploded and destroyed the gate," he said.

A Turkish government official told Reuters that one Turkish security officer was killed when the mission's guards clashed with the attackers as they attempted to enter the complex.

Three Turkish officers were being treated for their wounds, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Al Shabaab, who said earlier this month they would increase attacks during the Ramadan fasting period, claimed responsibility for the bombing on their Twitter feed.

Turkish embassy staff carry their wounded colleague following a suicide car bomb attack at the gate of an office housing the Turkish embassy staff in Somalia's capital Mogadishu July 27, 2013.  Credit: REUTERS/Feisal Omar

"Mujahideen forces in Mogadishu have just carried out an operation targeting a group of Turkish diplomats in Hodan district," al Shabaab said.

"All the Mujahideen who carried out the operation have returned safely back to their bases inside Mogadishu, preparing for the next operation."

Somalia is attempting to rebuild itself after two decades of civil war and lawlessness, triggered by the overthrow of president Siad Barre in 1991.

The fragile government is being backed by international aid aimed at preventing it from becoming a haven for al Qaeda-style militants in east Africa.

Security agents stand guard at the gates of the office housing the Turkish embassy staff following a suicide car bomb attack in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, July 27, 2013.  Credit: REUTERS/Feisal Omar

Turkey has led efforts to help Somalia, pouring some $400 million of aid into the country since 2011, most of it from private companies.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who became the first non-African leader to visit Somalia in nearly 20 years when he traveled there in 2011, said the attack was carried out by "supposed Muslims".

"They are doing this against our government. Why? Because we are helping our brothers in Mogadishu," Erdogan said in a speech that was broadcast live.

Turkey has also sought a greater diplomatic role in the region, including brokering dialogue this year between Somalia and Somaliland.

(Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Ankara and Ayla Jean Yackley in Istanbul; Editing by George Obulutsa, Raissa Kasolowsky and David Evans)

Turkish embassy staff carry their wounded colleague on a stretcher after a suicide car bomb attack at the gates of an office housing the Turkish embassy staff in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, July 27, Credit: REUTERS/Feisal Omar