At least four people were killed and 10 others wounded Tuesday in a suicide bombing at a tea shop near a Turkish military base in the capital Mogadishu, state-run SONNA news agency said. The al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack.

Patrons, who included both soldiers and civilians, were sipping tea when the bomber blew himself up, local residents told Reuters.

One resident, Ahmed Ismail, said he heard the blast but that when he ran toward the scene to find out what had happened he was blocked by soldiers.

The Nacnac base outside which the blast occurred is located near a Turkish military garrison which helps to train Somali troops.

Al-Shabab frequently carries out gun and bomb attacks on Somali security and government targets, but also on civilians.

It aims to topple the United Nations-backed central government and impose its own harsh laws. It also carries out attacks on African Union peacekeeping troops.