Police commissioner rebuts reports of troops clash in Daynile district

Police commissioner Ali Gaab has denied government troops were involved in a clash this morning which claimed 13 lives near the former national university in the outskirts of Mogadishu.

Gaab said reports that government soldiers clashed killing 13 were untrue and that the rival militia groups were responsible.

“Our troops were not in any way involved in the clash. Those were rival militias in the area,” said Gaab.

Meanwhile Benadir deputy governor has confirmed 13 people were killed.

Earlier, area district commissioner Ahmed Noor said he had established that seven people had been killed when the soldiers clashed at a camp in the former national university near X-control.

“I can confirm to you that seven people have been killed. The soldiers clashed after one of them tried to force his way into the camp where people were queuing for food rations,” said Noor. Noor said majority of the casualties were women.