At least 17 people have been killed in a bomb blast in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, news agency Reuters reports, quoting a police officer.

"So far we have confirmed 17 civilians dead. They were travelling in public vehicles at the scene when the blasts and gunfire occurred. The death toll is sure to rise," Ali Nur, a police officer in the city, told Reuters.

He said suicide attackers using two car bombs were behind the attack which happened at a hotel near the headquarters of Somalia's Criminal Investigations Department.