MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s defense ministry said officials were investigating an explosion at a military training school in the capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, an incident claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militant group as a suicide attack.

It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured in the explosion at the Jaalle Siyaad Military Academy, one of Somalia’s main training centers for its new army recruits.

Al-Shabab, which has previously staged attacks in Somalia, on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack. It said a suicide bomber detonated an explosive to target a western delegation that was training recruits.

“The suicide bomber was wearing a suicide vest and was intercepted before reaching his target. He blew himself up, causing minimal casualties,” Adan Hassan, one of the new army recruits and an eyewitness at the scene, told The Associated Press by phone.

The Jaalle Siyaad Military Academy was last targeted in July 2023, when a suicide bomber disguised in uniform killed at least 25 soldiers and wounded more than 70 others.

Al-Shabab frequently targets military installations as part of its insurgency to topple the Somali government and impose its strict version of Islamic law.

The Somali government has in recent months intensified security operations to crack down on militants.

Last week, government forces conducted an operation in the central Hiran region where al-Shabab militants had taken key towns and villages.