The cinema owner and a young girl were reportedly killed by militia loyal to the Union of Islamic Courts, who seized control of parts of Somalia last month.

The courts have introduced Sharia law, including in some areas a World Cup broadcast ban.

Somalia has had no effective central government since 1992.

According to reports on a Somali news network, gunmen arrived to close down the cinema in the town of Dhuusa Marreeb in central Galgadud district, where a crowd had gathered to watch the Germany-Italy World Cup semi-final.



Some of the football fans began to protest and according to reports, the gunmen fired in the air in an attempt to disperse them.

When this failed, shots were fired at the demonstrators and two people were killed.

The introduction of Islamic law, or Sharia, has included in some areas a ban on cinemas and on broadcasts of World Cup games because they have carried advertisements for alcohol.

The courts now control much of southern Somalia, introducing a level of civil administration and justice which the country has not seen for the past 15 years.

The BBC's Hassan Barise says in more than a decade of Islamic justice in the capital, there have been more than 16 amputations - the punishment for theft - in that time.

But there have been no confirmed amputations or stonings to death - for murder or rape - in the month since the Islamists seized the capital.