Suicide attack at Somali police academy kills 17

The death toll from a suicide attack on a police academy in Somali capital has risen to 17, an official said.

"We can confirm that at least 17 people were killed and 17 others wounded after a suicide attack targeted General Kahiye Police Academy," Abdullahi Hamid, state minister for the office of the prime minister, told local media.

Earlier, the suicide bomber infiltrated the police checkpoints and blew himself up when the police were reportedly conducting a military parade in preparation for the anniversary of its foundation planned for Dec. 20.

Adan Ali Nur, a police officer who was also wounded in the attack, told Anadolu agency that 10 police soldiers were among the dead.

In a message posted on Twitter, Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre said his government will help the relatives of the soldiers killed in the attack.

Somali militant group al-Shabaab had claimed responsibility for the attack and said that it had killed more than 20 police soldiers.

Thursday's suicide attack came two months after a truck bomb attack in central Mogadishu that killed more than 400 people.