An eye witness told AfricaNews that some residents took weapons against gunmen from Hizbul Islam after a protest against the group which turned violent in Elsha, 15 Km (9 miles) southwest of the war-torn and lawless capital Mogadishu.

According to residents the rebels shot and wounded at least two people in Elsha.
Hundreds of students and local people had taken to the streets after Hizbul Islam fighters stormed the Ibnu Kuzeima secondary school at Elsha and replaced the blue Somali flag with a black Islamist flag. The fighters of the group dragged away the principal of the School.

A resident, Osman Ali said that they took out their guns adding that the fighting is going on. “I don’t think it will stop”, he told Africanews.

The protesters burnt tyres and shouted “We don’t want Hizbul Islam. Down Down Down. They are destroyers”.

The rebel group, Hizbul Islam, later released the headmaster but one of the students of Ibnu Kuzeima School said they will continue their demonstration.

According to Reuters, a group of Mogadishu residents attempted to protest against another rebel of Al-shabaab, which was accused of a suicide bomb at medical graduation ceremony last week that killed more than 20 people, including three ministers.