Al-Shabaab has claimed credit for a bomb attack carried out by a female suicide bomber in Mogadishu on Thursday morning.
In a statement, Al-Shabaab said the blast left a senior spy boss and two of his security guards dead, a claim that neither denied nor confirmed by the Somali government.
The explosion took place in the Black Sea area and was targeted undercover agents at a security checkpoint, according to sources.
The attack comes as police step up security measures in the city which sees a decrease in blasts by Al-Shabaab in recent months.