Clashes in central Somalia kill senior police commander

MOGADISHU, Somalia

Clashes among Somali security forces in Beledweyne killed Mohamed Hussein Durdage, a senior police commander in the Hiiraan region on Thursday, an official told Anadolu Agency.

Beledweyne District Governor Osman Dhisow Dhubow said an elite police unit, Harmcad, that was recently deployed to the central city earlier this month, clashed with other security officers concerning a vehicle belonging to the criminal investigations department (CID).

"I was away from the town when the clashes erupted. I have been told that the Beledweyne district police commissioner has been killed and two other security personnel were wounded," said Dhubow.

He said the specially trained commandos were deployed and stationed in the regional police division and were involved in clashes but the situation is unclear.

"As soon as I arrived back in the town, we started an investigating into the matter and the two security personnel who were wounded in the clashes are in the hospital for treatment," he added.

Beledweyne is a major city and provincial capital of the region.

It is 341 kilometers (211 miles) from the capital, Mogadishu, and has been seen tensions and armed clashes because of an election dispute.