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Somalia: Warlords agreed to be disarmed as clashes kill six of their militias Fri. January 12, 2007 08:20 am. - Mohamed Abdi Farah (SomaliNet) At least six people have been killed and another one was wounded after a gun battle erupted in Somalia capital, Mogadishu on Friday between government forces and militia loyal to former warlords – as the president continues to meet with parts of the society in an effort to stabilize the region. All the dead and injured were militiamen loyal to Mohamed Qanyare Afrah among former warlords who were at the time having talks with the Somalia president Abdulahi Yusuf and his Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi over improving the security in the capital. Several passers by were hit by astray bullets, local residents said. The skirmish began around 11:30 am local time outside the main gate of the presidential palace when militia loyal Mohamed Qanyare Afrah, a Member of Parliament refused to remain outside and then gunfire broke out. The sound of heavy machine-gun fire could be heard as I and other group of journalists were awaiting information on the close doors meeting by the warlords and government officials. The rest of the warlord militia were captured alive and disarmed by the government forces, local official told Somalinet. Some reports say that two other civilians were killed in the gunfire as they tried to put up roadblock near the area of the clashes. The skirmish came shortly after the former warlords agreed to hand over their weapons and militias to the government following hours of intensive meeting with the senior transitional federal government. Abdirahman Nor Dinari, the government spokesman told reporters at the presidential palace. “The meeting was successful and the warlords agreed to hand over their militias with the weapons and they will be trained to become government soldiers,” said Dinari. “Technical committee was set up for the disarmament of the militias and they will soon start working,” It is the first time that Somalia president met with the former warlords, which some are members of the parliament since he arrived in the capital early this week. Elsewhere in Mogadishu, unknown gunmen attacked Ambassador Hotel in southern of the capital where the police chief commander General Ali Madobe was residing wounding one of the government soldiers. “We heard heavy explosion then followed several minutes of gunfire between unidentified militia and government forces around the area,” Mustaf Omar told Somalinet. There have been series of bomb explosions and gunshots in the capital against the government troops backed by the Ethiopian forces. News Category: Somalia Latest Headlines Latest News East Africa threatened by soaring food prices-O... Somalia: 9 civilians killed by Ethiopian soldiers i... Nigerian drug trafficker beheaded in the holy city o... Nigeria: Militant group threatens to attack oil pipe... Philippines to send over 300 soldiers to Liberia for... Nigeria: 12 killed as petrol tanker burst into flame... U.S: Man shoots three people at community college <... Iran: Fresh nuclear talks could resume- says top offi... South Africa: UN boss plans to name SA judge for top... Asia: Jet pilot could face life in prison for ‘delib... More News...