The head of the Medina hospital, Mohamed Yusuf, confirmed the death toll to dpa.
Some 54 injured victims were brought to the hospital for treatment, he said.
Read Also: Sultan Of Sokoto Reveals Solution To Corruption In Nigeria
Eyewitnesses spoke of a scene of devastation after a truck at a checkpoint exploded in a busy area of the city.
Although there has been no claim of responsibility so far, Al-Shabab extremists in Somalia remain “a potent threat” to regional peace.
UN experts say that Al-Shabab are now manufacturing home-made explosives, expanding their revenue sources and infiltrating government institutions.
After three decades of civil war, extremist attacks and famine, Somalia established a functioning transitional government in 2012 and has since been working to rebuild stability.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that the country must still tackle violent extremism, terrorism, armed conflict, political instability and corruption.
THISDAY