The blast struck outside a compound housing government buildings in Kilometre Four (K4) - a crossroads in central Mogadishu.

BBC: Huge Somalia suicide car bomb kills dozens in capital

The Ethiopians quickly occupied Mogadishu but failed to pacify much of central and southern Somalia.

CNN: Fertile territory for Al-Shabaab in chaos of Somalia

Various armed groups would then fight for control of Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, and of central Somalia.

ECONOMIST: Ethiopia and Somalia