Gunfire in Mogadishu as Somali troops and opposition militias clash before planned protests

Government troops and opposition-allied militias have exchanged fire in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, in violence that forced civilians to flee and damaged property. The clashes erupted ahead of planned protests over President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's decision to remain in office after his term expired in May. Residents said the fighting spread through parts of the city on Wednesday evening and continued into Thursday morning.

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According to witnesses, the violence began around 5pm on Wednesday and involved thousands of government troops deployed in Mogadishu's Howl Wadag and Abdiasis districts. Former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said government forces had targeted his home, while former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused troops of using heavy weapons, including anti-tank weapons and drones, in a densely populated area. Somalia's information and defence ministers did not respond to requests for comment.

Residents described mortar fire, burning vehicles and people fleeing on foot with children. One witness said a mortar shell landed on a neighbour's house and injured a mother, while another said at least two armoured vehicles were burned by opposition-allied militias. The reports point to a significant security breakdown in the capital, where armed confrontations have now intersected with a political dispute over the president's continued stay in office.

The clashes matter because they come at a sensitive moment in Somalia's political transition. In March, parliament backed constitutional changes that could allow Mohamud to extend his term by a year and delay an election. That has deepened tensions between the government and opposition figures, and the planned protests were expected to focus on the president's decision to remain in office after his term expired.

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The fighting has therefore raised the risk that a constitutional dispute could spill further into street violence. Somalia has long struggled with instability, clan conflict and weak central authority since the fall of Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The country is also dealing with a nearly two decade-long insurgency led by al-Shabab, which has repeatedly challenged state control and security forces.

Against that backdrop, armed clashes in Mogadishu carry wider significance because they can affect public confidence in the government, the ability to hold demonstrations safely and the prospects for any negotiated political settlement. What remains unclear is the full scale of casualties, the extent of the damage and whether the fighting has ended completely. It is also not clear how many people were displaced from the affected districts or whether further arrests or deployments will follow.

The immediate focus will be on whether the planned protests go ahead, how the government responds and whether opposition leaders and officials can prevent further escalation.

#Mogadishu #Somalia #HassanSheikhMohamud #SharifSheikhAhmed #HassanAliKhaire

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