Three civilians have been killed in a mortar attack in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, according to police and ambulance services. 

Five people were also wounded from the attack, as mortar shells were fired into homes in Wadajir district, in the vicinity of Mogadishu airport.

The attack comes days after Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed declared war on terrorist groups such as Al Shabaab.  

Police say they suspect that the al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab are behind the attack.

The director of Amin ambulance services said "We have carried three dead women and five others injured, including a woman and children. Mortars landed on their home today."

#BREAKING: Several mortar shells lands at Danwadaagaha junacion near #Mogadishu airport & #AMISOM's Halane military base - Residents

— Somalia Live Update (@HassanIstiila) April 7, 2017

A police officer, Osman Mohamed also said "Mortars believed to be fired by al Shabaab killed three people of the same family and injured several others."

He continued by saying that "We are still investigating where they were fired from."

Al Shabaab aim to impose their own harsh version of Islam in Somalia, and have previously taken responsibility for blasts and gun attacks in the capital and elsewhere in Somalia.

On Thursday, President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, replaced his security chiefs and called on al Shabaab fighters to surrender within 60 days in return for education and jobs.