At least 3 people, two of them soldiers have been killed and over 5 others injured in gunfire exchange between two Somali government troops in the restive capital Mogadishu, witnesses and officials said.

The fighting erupted in the capital’s Medina district, where one side was reportedly barring soldiers from robbing civilians.
 
“The fighting killed 3 people, two of them soldiers who were fighting. The injured are all civilians,” said an eyewitness.

A Somali commander confirmed the fighting between the forces but accused one group of being phony and robbers.
 
"The fighting was to prevent arm robbery against the civilians and we have succeeded,” he said, adding that the incident was reprehensible to the integrity of the force.
 
The fighting comes a day after the parliament committees charged on the top military leadership over frequent clashes within the government forces, terming it shameful.
 
“We will investigate several incidents that caused inter-fighting within the Somali government forces and we will present the finding about the people behind the clashes,” said the committees.
 
The ill-equipped and poorly paid government is tasked to restore law and order in restive Somali capital Mogadishu which has been devastated by continuous clashes between warring armed factions, leading to death and destruction and massive exodus in recent days.

GAROWE ONLINE