Ugandan army has confirmed it shot dead three Somali soldiers in Mogadishu after a convoy carrying its military commander came under fire over the weekend.

According to the army, Somali troops opened fire in the convoy of Brigadier Paul Lokech during a lockdown on the capital after two blasts killed dozens of people on Friday.

Lokech heads the Ugandan contingent of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)

Uganda’s military spokesman says its soldiers acted in self-defence. The troops were en route back to base after providing support to some of the victims of Friday’s twin blasts.

Friday’s twin bombings killed nearly 40 people, injuring a dozen others.

Five gunmen disguised as members of the police force carried out the brazen attacks – ending months of relative stability in a city often a target for the militant group

The country’s Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire has since instructed security chiefs to ensure that such an attack never happens again

“We must remain alert and fight the enemy that has chosen to kill innocent civilians. Day and night we must be vigilant. I hereby instruct the senior security commanders and the stabilization force to ensure that peace is restored in Mogadishu”, Khaire said.