Dubai Gang Wars: 18-year-old Killed in Street Attack

A young man was killed and two injured after a fight erupted between two rival gangs in Dubai.

An 18-year-old Comoros national died in the clash, Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim, chief of Dubai police, said.

Six Emirati nationals have been arrested.

The violent confrontation was the latest clash between the two groups, which are from different neighbourhoods of Dubai. Police said it was a revenge attack.

Four men in the Al Warqaa group, who were aged from 18 to their early 20s, travelled from their "turf" in the southeast of the city to the Oud Al Muteena area, out for revenge, said police.

"The Al Warqaa group had come to Oud Al Muteena in a retaliation attack after an earlier fight," the online edition of the National newspaper quoted Brig Khalil al-Mansouri, head of criminal investigations.

The Al Warqaa gang attacked three people belonging to a rival group. One man was run over and killed and the other two were injured.

The driver and two passengers fled the scene but were tracked down and arrested.

Police said they do not believe the driver deliberately tried to kill the 18-year-old.

"During interrogation, the driver said he did not intend to kill him but wanted to get him out of his way," Mansouri said.

Dubai Gangs War

Dubai is better known for its five-star hotels and luxurious shopping malls but residents in the city's poorest neighbourhoods are alarmed about the rise in gang violence and crime.

Two similar incidents recently occurred prompting fears violence is set to escalate further in next months.

A man was recently attacked by masked men from the Al Warqaa group and in another case a 21-year-old bank employee was attacked by six men armed with butcher's knives and swords.

Police said the incidents remain isolated but have warned they are launching a crackdown on illegal possession of weapons.