Eye witnesses told (tf.sf) that gunfire erupted early in the morning when an escort brigade belonging to the parliamentary speaker attempted to enter Villa Somalia, the headquarters of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) in the restive capital Mogadishu.
“One of the speaker’s guards attempted to enter the headquarters of the government, but he was turned down by presidential escorts. He later came back with reinforcement and fighting started after long confrontations” one witness told us
tf.sf learnt that a senior official of the presidential security team identified as Mohamed Arab was one of three injured soldiers.The three are reportedly admitted into Mogadishu’s hospitals for further treatment as terror free Somalia correspondent in Mogadishu says that there was no official communication from the government.Sources hinted that an anticipated press conference by Prime Minister Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali was delayed after the embarrassing incident that has stunned both the local populations and officials of the TFG.Little is known about the delayed press conference from the office of the prime minister. On Monday TFG officials hinted that a new cabinet could be named today (Tuesday).
Our correspondent says, there has been political arm-twisting within the TFG and particularly between the president and the speaker over the naming of the new cabinet.
The gun battle comes as a dispute over cabinet positions between President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, new premier Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and parliamentary speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden has delayed the announcement of a new government.
Witnesses say that Ibrahim Bulle, a soldier loyal to Aden, attempted to force his way into a room where Abdiweli, who has reportedly threatened to resign over the cabinet impasse, was meeting Sheikh Sharif. When the presidential guard stopped him, he pulled out a pistol and opened fire. Colonel Mohamed Arab, a senior commander of the presidential guard, was shot in the head and died on the way to hospital. At least two other soldiers were killed, and one injured, in the fighting.
The situation is now calm, and there has been no official statement on the incident.
The gun battle comes as a dispute over cabinet positions between President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, new premier Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and parliamentary speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden has delayed the announcement of a new government.
Witnesses say that Ibrahim Bulle, a soldier loyal to Aden, attempted to force his way into a room where Abdiweli, who has reportedly threatened to resign over the cabinet impasse, was meeting Sheikh Sharif. When the presidential guard stopped him, he pulled out a pistol and opened fire. Colonel Mohamed Arab, a senior commander of the presidential guard, was shot in the head and died on the way to hospital. At least two other soldiers were killed, and one injured, in the fighting.
The situation is now calm, and there has been no official statement on the incident.
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