MOGADISHU, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Yusuf Mohamed Siyad Indha Adde, Somali government state minister for defense, who survived an assassination attempt on Monday, accused Islamist rebels of being behind the suicide car bomb attack.

At least five people were killed and more than 14 others, including two of the state minister's bodyguards, were wounded after two cars laden with explosives exploded as the minister's motorcade passed a hotel in the government-controlled area of the Somali capital.

"You see I am alive and am not injured. I tell them (Al Shabaab) that I will double my efforts to fight these men. I tell them that I will target them as long as I am alive," Indha Adde told reporters in Mogadishu.

The government official said that two suicide car bombs as well as a hand cart laden with explosives targeted his convoy as it moved in Maka Al Mukaram street in Mogadishu.

The huge blast caused extensive damage to vehicles parked along the street and the surrounding building.

Indha adde was a member of the Islamist insurgency groups before his faction last year joined the Transitional Government of Somalia led by the moderate Islamist President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

The Islamist rebel movement of Al Shabaab, which wages deadly insurgency against the Somali government and the African Union (AU) mission, has not officially claimed responsibility for the attacks but the group has previously carried out similar attacks on government officials and security forces as well as AU peacekeeping forces based in Mogadishu.

The latest attack comes as both Somali government forces and Islamist fighters are gearing for a major confrontation which analysts say would be the biggest offensive so far.