Hiiraan Online
Wednesday July 26, 2017
Mogadishu (HOL) - A gunfight in Somalia’s capital on Wednesday between
the Presidential Guard and government soldiers at a checkpoint near
Villa Somalia has resulted in the death of five NISA soldiers working
under the Mogadishu Stabilization Force, including a senior security
official.
Witnesses report that a car carrying Issa Jiijiile - a
deputy commander with the National Intelligence & Security Agency
(NISA) was stopped at a checkpoint at the National Theatre by members of
the Presidential Guard. The NISA soldiers reportedly approached the
checkpoint before being fired upon and returning fire.
In a
nationally televised joint address , Minister of Defense & Chief of
NISA promised that an investigation is underway into the killing.
Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbalolshe, the Chief of NISA said that anyone
found responsible will be held criminally responsible.
"We have
opened an investigation into the cause of the fight. Anyone found
involved should face the full force of the law." he said.
The
intelligence chief added that the Presidential Guards may have received
bad intel on an possible Al-Shabaab attack where the assailants would be
disguised in NISA soldiers.
"The Presidential Guards are tasked
to protect the head of the state and so they have been given fake alert
which resulted them to deny access of the nearby roads and thus causing
to clash with NISA soldiers returning from an operation."
"I send my sympathies and condolences to all those killed in today’s unfortunate incidents.”
On Wednesday morning, a Presidential Guard was killed after an incident that involved government soldiers.