A car bomb has been detonated near Somalia's parliament in the capital Mogadishu, killing at least two people and wounding several others.

The bomb exploded at a security checkpoint after soldiers intercepted and stopped a suspicious vehicle, those dead included two soldiers as well as the suicide bomber, while as many as 10 people were wounded.

A huge cloud of smoke was seen billowing over the area dotted with security checkpoints along a road leading to the presidential palace.

The attack happened near Somalia's presidential palace, whose main gate is just 200 metres away, and a similar distance from the interior ministry.

A few hours earlier, another car bomb outside Mogadishu killed one person plus the driver. The blast comes three days after at least 14 people were killed and 10 others wounded in a car bombing.

Mogadishu is often a target of attacks by al-Shabab, which is fighting to overthrow Somalia's internationally recognized government.