Somalia's defence minister has survived an assassination attempt by a suicide bomber in the capital Mogadishu.
Yusuf Mohamed Siyad told the BBC how a car was driven towards his vehicle and explosives on board were detonated, injuring two of his security guards.
He said more explosions went off as he tried to collect the wounded guards.
The BBC's Mohamed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says the attack is the latest challenge to the government's plan for a major attack on Islamist insurgents.
Militant groups control much of the south of Somalia and are in constant conflict with the government.
Violent times
But Mr Siyad said the latest attack would not distract him from his job.
"I used to patrol in the city at midnight and I will keep patrolling until we restore law and order," he said.
In December, a suicide bomber attacked a graduation ceremony for medical students which was attended by senior officials.
Three ministers died at the scene, and another minister died from his injuries last week.
Rumours have been circulating for days that the transitional government is about to launch a major attack on hard-line insurgents.
While hundreds of rebel fighters have poured into the capital in preparation for battle, thousands of civilians have fled the area.
Somalia has been wracked by violence for much of the past 20 years. It has not had a functioning central government since 1991.
Source: BBC
