**At least 20 people have been killed by blasts near the main mosque in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, reports say.**Many more were injured in the explosions in the Bakara market.
One report said a senior member of the al-Shabab militia was the target. Fuad Mohamed Khalaf, known as Fuad Shongole, was said to have been injured.
The Islamists, who are linked to al-Qaeda, are credited with having brought greater stability to the part of the country under their control.
The attack near Abdalla Shideye mosque came as people were attending prayers.
Amputations
“Many screaming people were piled up on each other, some dead, some injured,” an unnamed witness told Reuters news agency.
He said scores had been injured and armed militants had arrived in the area.
Abdalla Shideye mosque is often used by al-Shabaab Islamists to deliver speeches.
On Tuesday, a landmine killed one person at the Abu Hureya mosque in the same area.
US-based group, Human Rights Watch said last month that the improved security in areas controlled by the al-Shabab Islamists had come at a huge cost to the local population.
Its report detailed killings, repression and harsh Sharia law punishments, including amputations.
Somalia has been wracked by civil conflict since 1991.
In recent years, hardline Islamists have taken control of large parts of southern Somalia.
The main al-Shabab group says it is fighting the weak UN-backed government to make Somalia an Islamic state.
The transitional government - which controls only parts of the capital with the help of African peacekeepers - also wants Islamic law imposed, but al-Shabab’s interpretation of Sharia has been very strict.This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
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