At least nine people are dead in a blast that shattered parts of Mogadishu airport.

A suicide car bomber, backed up by militant gunmen,drove through the front gate of Mogadishu’s airport on Thursday, triggering an explosion before opening fire on people within the airport perimeter.

The suicide bomber first rammed a car into an AU peacekeepers post outside the airport before insurgents in the second car threw explosives and opened fire within the compound.

The coordinated attack is believed to have been launched by Islamist insurgents, who have recently been busy with attacks on the country’s weakened government.

The al-Qaeda-inspired Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was undertaken to "carry out a holy attack on the Christian forces of Uganda."

Uganda and Burundi have deployed about 7,000 soldiers to Mogadishu where they have been protecting the president and guarding the airport.