A suicide bomber rammed a vehicle packed with explosives into an African peacekeeping convoy in the Somali capital on Friday, July 12, officials said, killing eight civilians but no soldiers in the latest attack to expose the fragility of recent security gains, Reuters reported.

The blast was claimed by Islamist al Shabaab rebels who carried out a deadly assault on a nearby United Nations base last month and another bombing in a Mogadishu market this week.

Al Shabaab was pushed out of bases in Mogadishu by Somali and African forces about two years ago, raising hopes of a return to relative security in a city hit by years of war.

But the militants have kept up guerrilla-style attacks and continue to control large rural areas, challenging the authority of a government less than one year old.

In the attack earlier this week, five policemen were wounded when al Shabaab blew up their vehicle in Mogadishu.

Somalia is attempting to rebuild itself after two decades of civil war and lawlessness, triggered by the overthrow of president Siad Barre in 1991.

The fragile government is being backed by international aid aimed at preventing it from becoming a haven for al Qaeda-style militants in east Africa.