Mogadishu, July 11, 2009, 7:02 PM-ET, (SOMINA- At least 18 people including top Somali commander were killed and 37 others were injured in renewed clashes in Mogadishu Saturday, witnesses and medical sources said.

The fighting broke out early Saturday around northern Mogadishu’s Manbolyo neighborhood after Islamist rebels advanced in onto Somali government position sin the area.

“The government forces took position from the insurgents and killed many of them including foreign fighters today”, Abdulahi Hasan Barise, Somali police spokesman said.

Witnesses said dozen including combatants died in the clashes that broke out early Saturday.

 “I saw Nur Daqle, the Somali government forces commander being shot near the frontline, he died instantly”, Sugow Haji, a witness said.

Meanwhile, Somali government officials have for the first time displayed the dead body of an alleged foreign fighter whom they said was killed in the Saturday’s clashes.

“This man was the commander of the terrorists fighting the government, he was Afghani national and was killed in Karan district this morning”, Farhan Mohamed Arsanyo, Somali military spokesman said in a press conference.

“We have also nine others some of them alive and we will show to the media”, he added.

MB-MF/MA