Mogadishu, May 14 (IANS): A suicide bomber killed at least five people and injured nine others on Tuesday after detonating a car packed with explosives in the Somali capital on Tuesday, the police said.

The bomber drove the car loaded with explosives into the entrance of a local government office in Wardhigley district of Mogadishu. The attack took place near Villa Somalia, the fortified official residence of the country's President.

Police officer Abshir Isak, present at the scene of the explosion, told Efe news that the dead included two security guards and three civilians.

Another police official said the blast occurred during food distribution at the government building.

"People were getting humanitarian aid when the blast occurred, we can confirm that at least five died in the explosion," he said.

Witnesses said the blast was huge and caused panic among the residents who had lined up to receive food aid.

"We heard huge blast and learned that civilians were hurt in the blast," Mohamed Nur, an eyewitness told Xinhua news agency.

The Al Qaeda affiliated group al-Shabab claimed the responsibility for the attack.