Reports say the PM escaped unhurt but several other senior Somali officials including two MPs were injured during the attack.

There are conflicting reports of the number of deaths, with some reports saying over ten people were killed while others suggest only four people. Initial witness reports suggested a female suicide bomber was behind the blast but Sunatimes could not independently verify that.

No group has claimed responsibility of the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on Al-Shabaab militant group which has been conducting similar deadly attacks on government installations in the war-torn capital.

Sunatimes correspondent who was attending the event said he saw four people dead, adding that two MPs, Prof. Mohamed Omar Dalha and his colleague Mowlid Ma’ane were also wounded during the incident.

Several journalists were also said to have sustained injuries, according to eyewitnesses in the theatre.