¡¡¡¡MOGADISHU, April 4 (Xinhua) -- The casualties from the explosion at the national theatre in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, with the latest toll put at nine the number of the wounded at almost 30. Al-Shabaab rebels have claimed responsibility for the attack.

¡¡¡¡Hospital officials said 28 people including government officials, members of the security forces, journalists and local performers were wounded in the blast.

¡¡¡¡The death toll rose to nine from the previously reported five after people wounded in the blast succumbed to their injuries at various hospitals in Mogadishu, where the injured were rushed, officials and local media reports said. Two senior sports officials are among the dead.

¡¡¡¡The blast occurred at the national theatre in Mogadishu as top Somali leaders including Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and members of his cabinet and a number of lawmakers were attending a ceremony to mark the first anniversary of the re-establishment of the Somali National Television.

¡¡¡¡The Somali government said the attack was carried out by a female suicide bomber who somehow managed to breach the security at the theatre, while Al-Shabaab militants in a twitter posting said the bomb was "planned and orchestrated" by what they said was especially trained united.

¡¡¡¡"This operation wasn't carried out by female as they allege but everything was carefully planned and orchestrated by a specially trained unit," Al-Shabaab said.

¡¡¡¡The Al-Shabaab group added, "The Mujahideen ( Islamist fighters) successfully planted the explosives before the gathering, prompting the ineffective TFG (Transitional Federal Government) intelligence to speculate on how it occurred."

¡¡¡¡Somali government officials said an investigation was underway into the blast, vowing that security would be tightened in key government installations in the capital.

¡¡¡¡Prime Minister Ali said his government will redouble efforts to confront Al-Shabaab and pledged attacks will not derail the government campaign to fight the Islamist fighters.

¡¡¡¡The radical group claimed to have killed "scores" of lawmakers, intelligence personnel and government officials in the attack at the newly reopened national theatre in Mogadishu.

¡¡¡¡The reopening of the Chinese-built theatre late last month was hailed as an example of the growing stability and normalization of life in the Somali capital, following the retreat of radical Islamists from the city.

¡¡¡¡Al-Shabaab recently announced its merge with Al-Qaida and vowed to carry out attacks following their retreat from the Somali capital last year under the pressure of concerted military offensives by African Union troops and Somali government forces.