MOGADISHU, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed in two suicide car bomb blasts on Saturday morning near Somalia's presidential palace in capital Mogadishu, police said.

A man walks near destroyed buildings after a bomb blast in the capital city of Mogadishu, Somalia, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018. Police say a suicide car bomb exploded near the presidential palace killing and wounding a number of people. (Photo: AP)

A police officer who declined to be named told Xinhua that the two coordinated blasts could have caused a higher number of deaths and injuries.

"So far, we know that at least 8 people killed in the blasts but the death toll could rise," said the police officer.

Eye witnesses said the explosions were so huge that they shook a wide radius.

"There were massive car bombs, causing panic among the residents. We don't know the number of casualties but we heard several people died," Mukhtar Abdi, a witness, told Xinhua.

Earlier reports said Mohamed Abdulahi, deputy governor of Mogadishu, was injured in the explosion while some of his bodyguards were killed.

A senior reporter from Universal Television died during the blast, but the fate of his colleagues is yet to be established, according to the reports.

Somali militant group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the latest attack.