Mogadishu (Smn) — A witness says a deafening explosion was heard on Friday in the Somali capital, Mogadishu amidst tightened security.

The blast from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) struck a main security checkpoint manned by the Uganda-trained paramilitary forces in Karan District.

The explosion was followed by a sustained gunfire as the panicked soldiers fired at all directions. Several people are reportedly wounded in the shooting.

The security forces cordoned off the scene as the ambulances rushed the wounded to nearby hospital for treatment, according to the eyewitnesses.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Friday's bombing which comes as security of the city has been improving for the past months.

Al-Shabaab was driven out of the capital in 2011 by the national army and the AU troops during an offensive that saw the liberation of major towns, including Afgoye and Marka, Lower Shabelle region.

Currently, Somali military is planning second phase of operation against Al-Shabaab which will see the involvement of Non-ATMIS troops from Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.

During the first phase of the offensive launched in August 2022, the army with the support of clan militias recaptured almost 80 areas from Al-Shabaab and killed hundreds of militants, per the government.