Clashes erupted in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, on Wednesday and continued into Thursday, ahead of planned opposition protests against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's decision to extend his term, which expired last month. Gunfire and loud explosions were reported in several neighborhoods, damaging homes and forcing residents to flee.
Mohamud's term extension also means a delay in elections, sparking outrage from the opposition, which sees it as a power-grab. The Somali government has denied the allegations.
The Associated Press reported large numbers of people took to the streets as security forces stepped up patrols. Police said the violence stemmed from “organized attacks” linked to political groups seeking to seize power.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, who said he was targeted by security forces, criticized the government on social media platform X, accusing it of using “heavy weapons” meant for “conventional battlefields.” “These are weapons given to the Somali state to fight al-Shabab, now turned against Somali leaders and citizens in an unprecedented campaign of political repression and targeted killings,” he wrote. He also added that “civilian infrastructure has not been spared” and that electricity supplies were “deliberately cut.”
Residents of Mogadishu told Reuters that a mortar shell struck a neighbor's home, injuring a mother, and a large nearby house caught fire after being hit. Two armored vehicles were also torched. No official casualty figures were available.
By 9:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, fighting had subsided as the government and opposition began negotiations. An anonymous security analyst reported “civilian casualties in some areas.”
The African Union, European Union, and the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu condemned the violence and called for restraint. This is not the first time a Somali president has sought to stay in office after term expiry; predecessor Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo remained for more than a year after his term ended in 2021, sparking violence and international condemnation.
