5 soldiers killed in attack at Somalia military academy

At least five Somalia soldiers were killed and 15 others seriously injured after a suicide bomber blew himself up at a military academy west of Somalia's restive capital, Mogadishu on Monday.

A military officer said the suicide bomber who was clad in Somalia military uniform sneaked inside the military training camp and detonated explosives from his vest, killing the soldiers who were near him in Mogadishu's Wadajir district.

"The blast was so massive which was followed by loud gunfire. Some five government soldiers were killed while 15 others escaped with serious injuries," the military officer who did not want to be identified told Xinhua.

Al-Shabaab group which is engaging the Western-backed government in near daily attacks claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing at the military base.

The incident comes a day after new Somali army chief, General Ahmed Mohamed Jimale Irfid, survived a suicide car bomb attack that killed at least 15 people near his convoy in Mogadishu.

The blast occurred minutes after the senior ministry of defence officials passed through the same road. The militant group claimed responsibility for the attack.