MOGADISHU, Somalia — A Somali police officer says a suicide car bomber accidentally detonated his explosives near a popular hotel in the Somali capital.

Capt. Mohamed Hussein said the bomber appeared to have prematurely detonated his explosives-laden car Saturday as he tried to park near a hotel. No others were hurt or killed in the blast.

The al-Qaida linked group al-Shabab frequently carries out attacks against the Somali government, the U.N. and African Union peacekeepers. Late last month, a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives-laden car at a teashop near Somalia’s intelligence agency headquarters, killing at least 12 people.

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