MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — A car bomb explosion in Somalia's capital late Thursday has killed at least five people, police say.

The blast was by a car parked outside a restaurant in Mogadishu's Hamarweyne district and killed mostly civilians, said Capt. Mohamed Hussein.

The explosion shattered a period of calm in this seaside city which has a large security presence following a series of attacks by the Islamic extremist rebels of al-Shabab, who are linked to Al-Qaida and fighting the Somali government and African Union forces in the country.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. However al-Shabab often carries out such attacks. Despite being ousted from large parts of the south and central Somalia, the insurgents continue deadly attacks across the country.