MOGADISHU, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- One Somali police officer was injured as security forces foiled a suicide attack near a police station in the Somali capital, Mogadishu on Tuesday.

Sadiq Aden, police spokesman said the suicide bomber, wearing a suicide vest laden with explosives, threw off his jacket as he was being chased away by the police officers and exploded between Mogadishu Mall and Hamarweyne Police Station.

"A few minutes ago, at 11:25 am, the police received information that a man was carrying an improvised explosive device jacket. The moment he saw the police, he threw off the IED jacket at the police, then it exploded with no more casualties except one injury," Aden said in a statement.

The police spokesman promised to provide more details on the casualty figures later.

Witnesses said a loud explosion with dark plumes of smoke could be seen billowing from the scene amid gunfire.

"There is a loud bang after a suicide bomber blew himself up between the Mogadishu Mall and the Hamarweyne District Police Station. There were casualties but I don't know the exact number," said a witness who did not want to be named.

The latest attack came barely a week after the restive capital had witnessed relative calm following armed clashes between security forces and Opposition supporters who had staged anti-government protests on Feb. 19.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility in the latest attack but al-Qaida allied terrorist group, al-Shabab, usually stages such attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere across the country. Enditem

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