Puntland deputy police boss General Muhyadin Ahmed Muse narrowly escaped death after an al-Shabaab car bomber struck his car, killing as many as 10 people in Galkayo on Monday (February 11th), UN-funded Radio Bar-Kulan reported.

A car laden with explosives rammed Muse's convoy of police vehicles outside the Galkayo central police station in the morning.

Al-Shabaab said it carried out the attack, claiming that six soldiers were killed and nine were wounded in the blast. "The mujahideen have today carried out a martyrdom operation in Gaalkacyo, targeting senior Puntland officials," the militant group posted on its Twitter account.

However, the number of casualties could not be independently verified. "There are at least five people dead, including the bomber," said Galkayo police officer Mohamed Abdullahi, according to AFP.

Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon denounced the attack. "I condemn the attack in Galkayo today & send my condolences to the familes [sic] who lost loved ones - we continue our work to rebuild Somalia," he posted on Twitter.