Reports reaching us now say a car bomb planted outside the Somali president's residence in Mogadishu has caused a huge blast and destroyed nearby hotels, according to police. Reuter’s news agency quoted witness and social media users as saying they heard a loud explosion in Somalia’s capital in the early hours of this afternoon. The witness also heard gunfire. Images posted to social media showed huge plumes of smoke rising. Al-Qaeda linked Al Shabab fighters have claimed responsibility for several recent explosions in Mogadishu, including a car bomb and gun attack last week at a popular beach restaurant that killed 10 people. Other reports indicate that the explosion was targeted the Syl hotel where several cabinet ministers and senior government officials were attending a security meeting.