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A violent gang hacked a 20-year-old man to death with a samurai sword hours after a teenager was fatally stabbed less than half a mile away.

The two young men, both of Somali origin, were among six victims of stab wounds in the Camden area of London on Tuesday evening.

Police put on extra patrols and issued an order allowing them to stop and search anyone.

The 20-year-old, called Sadiq Aadam, was attacked in the middle of Malden Road by a bandana-wearing gang wielding a samurai sword at around 10.15pm, according to witnesses.

(Image: London News Pictures Ltd) (Image: PA)

The gang fled on foot, according to local residents, as passers-by desperately tried to save the stricken victim.

Two hours earlier Abdikarin Hassan was stabbed to death less than half a mile away at Bartholemew Road near a memorial to another teenager, Lewis Blackman, who was knifed to death in Earl's Court at the weekend.

One resident who saw the attackers fleeing the scene of the Malden Road stabbing said: "I saw these four kids in tracksuits running off.

"One turned to look at me, but they just kept running.

"I thought at first they were just playing around and then I heard the screaming."

Did you witness the violence? Email webnews@trinitymirror.com

(Image: London News Pictures Ltd) (Image: PA)

(Image: PA)

A Section 60 notice was issued for the entire borough of Camden which gives police blanket stop and search powers across the borough.

Police are investigating if the two deaths are linked.

Denise Arnold, 63, who lives in Malden Road, saw people attempting to resuscitate Mr Aadam, whose cousin says is the third member of the family to be murdered.

"My neighbour rushed out because she knew there was something bad. She stood on her bed and she could see," she said.

"So she rang the 999 call and she was told to go down and check he was breathing."

(Image: SWNS.com) (Image: SWNS.com)

She said she saw a large group of people gathered around the victim, adding: "There was a lot of screaming."

At around 11.30pm she said she heard more "wailing and screaming" at the scene.

Another local resident said of the attack: "I heard screaming and shouting and then I looked out my window and I could see him on the floor.

"There was blood everywhere and he was holding his abdomen to try and stop the bleeding.

"A man stopped his car and ran over and that was when about 20 people started crowding round him, it was right in front of my building."

Mr Aadam died on the junction of Malden Road and Marsden Street.

Last night was the worst night of violence in the city since New Year's Eve when four men died.

Teenagers murdered in London in 2018 January 10th: Oluwadamilola Odeyingbo, 18, died in hospital hours after being found critically injured in a garden in Chislehurst following reports of a fight

February 3rd: Hasan Ozkan, 19, repeatedly stabbed in Barking

February 11th: Italian national Sabri Chibani, 19, stabbed to death in Streatham weeks after moving to the capital to build himself a "great future"

February 14th: Promise Nkenda, 17, from the Newham area, repeatedly stabbed in the chest in Canning Town

February 18th: Lewis Blackman, 19, known as Dotz, stabbed to death outside Freddie Mercury's old house in Kensington following a party

February 20th: teenager stabbed to death in Kentish Town

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has asked for an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May and Home Secretary Amber Rudd to discuss what can be done to stop the increase in knife crime.

In total 15 people have been stabbed to death in London since the start of 2018.

Sarah Hayward, a councillor for King's Cross, tweeted: "Absolutely heartbroken by reports of numerous stabbings in Camden tonight.

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"My thoughts are with families, friends and emergency services. Appalling news."

Abdikarin Hassan is the fourth teenager to be fatally stabbed to death in London in just 10 days, the fifth this year, and the seventh since Christmas.

His mother brought her family to the UK when Abdi was two to flee civil war in Somalia.

His aunt, Fatima Deria, read a statement on behalf of her sister.



She said: "I brought my children to this country to flee from civil war but here is where he lost his life."



She added: "He was always smiling.



"He helped his mum all the time - whenever he was off from college he was taking his siblings to school."

The Met Police said in a statement: "Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command have launched separate investigations.

"At this early stage, there have been no arrests.

"Urgent enquiries are underway to establish the full circumstances and identify if there are any links between the two incidents.

(Image: SWNS.com) (Image: SWNS.com) (Image: London News Pictures Ltd)

"Any witnesses, or anyone with information that may assist police, is urged to call officers via 101. To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit the crimestoppers-uk.org website.

"There are additional police patrols across Camden, with borough officers who were due to complete their shifts on Tuesday continuing to work into Wednesday morning alongside the borough's rostered night shift.

"These Camden officers are being supported by colleagues from the Territorial Support Group and dedicated officers from Operation Sceptre.

"A Section 60 (Criminal Justice and Public Order Act) order was authorised for the borough of Camden at 22:20hrs on Tuesday, 20 February. This will remain in place until 07:00hrs on Wednesday, 21 February, to assist officers in preventing further violence."

(Image: Philip Coburn/Daily Mirror)

Commissioner Cressida Dick: "I have spoken all too often at the anger I feel at the senseless waste of life. Today, two more families are suffering a terrible loss and my thoughts are with them.

"The frequency with which some of our young people are prepared to take each other's lives is shocking. For two young men to be murdered so close together - both in time and geography - makes this even harder to comprehend.

"Camden is a vibrant and diverse part of our city, the impact of these murders will be felt right throughout that community."