1 Wounded in Mogadishu Police Building Car Bomb Blast

A car bomb exploded inside the compound of a major police building in Somalia's war-torn capital Mogadishu on Friday, wounding at least one police officer, officials said.

"A car full of explosives, which was seized by the security forces this morning, exploded -- a policeman was injured," said Abdulahi Ahmed, a Somali police official. "We are still investigating the incident."

The blast occurred in the grounds of the Criminal Investigation Department of Somalia's police, close to the busy central K4 roundabout.

Witnesses said the car exploded while parked inside the building, destroying the perimeter wall.

"The car exploded in a parking lot, the blast was very heavy, and smoke and fire shot up high into the sky," said Farah Adan, a witness.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for Friday's attack, the latest in a string of blasts including roadside bombs and grenade explosions that have rocked the Somali capital in recent months.

The city has seen an increase in such attacks since the al-Qaida linked Shebab abandoned fixed positions there in August and switched to guerrilla tactics against the Western-backed government and African Union troops.