Rival Islamist groups in Somalia clash

Mogadishu: At least six people have died as rival Islamist groups clashed in a town just outside Somalia's capital Mogadishu.

Six people died in the shootout at a checkpoint in Elasha, 15 kilometres south of Mogadishu, on Sunday night, witnesses said, sending refugees and residents fleeing into local woods.

Islamists have been waging a nearly two-year uprising in the African nation, but are split between the so-called "Djibouti group", which supports a UN-brokered peace process and the "Asmara group" which opposes any deal with the government.

Two factions of the Islamic Courts Union, one of the main Islamist groups, fired grenades and machine-guns at each other near the checkpoint at Elasha, according to witnesses, who added that two fighters from each side, plus two civilians, died.