Somali security minister and ambassador to South Africa killed in Beledweyne attack

Somalia's security minister has been killed in a suicide bombing at a hotel in Beledweyne, just north of the capital, Mogadishu, the country's information minister and witnesses have said.

Somalia's ambassador to South Africa and at least nine other people were also thought to have been killed in the blast on Thursday, reports said.

Farhan Ali Mohamud, the information minister, announced the death of Omar Hashi Aden, the security minister, but declined to give any other details.

Hashi had moved to Beledweyne at the beginning of June with heavily-armed troops in an attempt to regain territory from fighters of the al-Shabab group.

Al-Shabab, which Washington claims has ties to al-Qaeda, has vowed to topple the Somali government led by of Sharif Ahmed, the president.

A doctor from a nearby hospital said that most of the dead have been burnt beyond recognition.

Ahmed blamed al-Shabab for the attack and confirmed Hashi's death.

"I am sending condolences to the family of the Security Minister Omar Hashi who was killed in an explosion in Baladwayne," Ahmed told reporters.

Mohamed Abdi, a shopkeeper near the hotel, said smoke was rising from the building.

Hotel Medina, the scene of the blast, is known to be frequented by members of Somalia's government.

A senior al-Shabab official had warned after a deadly suicide car bomb attack on police headquarters in Mogadishu on May 25 that there would be more suicide strikes in the near future.

Beledweyne is the capital of the central Somalian region of Hiran, which is close to the border with Ethiopia.

Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991 when former Mohamed Siad Barre, the former president, was overthrown, plunging the country into chaos.