Fighting in Mogadishu Calms as Somalia Government Says Order Restored
Faisal Ali
After more than two days of fierce fighting in Mogadishu between government forces and opposition groups, Somalia's federal government says order has been restored. The opposition, however, rejects President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's authority and vows to continue pressing for elections, as the UN reports 13 dead, 189 wounded, and thousands displaced.
Fighting between government forces and opposition gunmen in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has subsided after more than two days, and the federal government says it has restored order. The violence erupted on Wednesday (June 3) and, by Friday (June 5), the districts of Abdiaziz and Hawlwadag were confirmed by the government to have returned to peace.
“Opposition militia forces have been disarmed and disbanded, and residents have returned to their daily routines,” the Somali Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism said in a statement.
The crisis stems from a dispute over whether incumbent President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud should remain in power. He insists parliament lawfully extended his term, while the opposition calls it a power grab. This is the bloodiest unrest in the capital in years, with each side blaming the other for the outbreak of fighting.
For almost two days, gunfire and loud explosions echoed across Mogadishu. Residential buildings near the fighting zones were also hit by bullet fire. The UN refugee agency said at least 13 people were killed, 189 wounded, and about 12,500 families displaced as fighting spread through densely populated districts. Many civilians were trapped in their homes.
While the government says life is returning to normal, UN officials warn of a severe humanitarian impact. The fighting began near the home of former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire in central Mogadishu, then spread to the residence of former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in the north. Both are leading the opposition, which calls for protests and timely elections.
A protest planned for Thursday (June 4) became a flashpoint when Khaire and Sharif insisted on the right to hold a rally at the site of their choice, with their own security forces overseeing the event. The protest ultimately did not happen due to the fighting. The government rejected the proposal and warned that security in the capital was already fragile and such an action would further destabilize the situation.
Clashes erupted on Wednesday (June 3) amid tensions between rival forces. By Thursday, Khaire reached a deal with the government and was escorted by government security forces to his home in the secure area near the airport. Sharif held out for another day at his residence in the Abdiaziz district, where the heaviest fighting occurred, until clan elders mediated a ceasefire.
After the government declared the districts cleared, Sharif's convoy also returned to the fortified area near the airport. Speaking after leaving his residence on Thursday, Khaire vowed: “We will not stop fighting for the right to hold elections in this country, as soon as possible. We will not compromise, we will not be afraid, and we will not stop.”
The unrest also caused severe economic damage. The Bakara market, the country's largest, was closed, and Maka al-Mukarama Avenue, the capital's main thoroughfare, was blocked. A central bank deputy governor estimated the damage to businesses and services at around $3.8 million, noting this was only a preliminary figure.
This crisis is the latest in a long-running debate about how Somalia should be governed. Since the state was rebuilt in 2012 after the 1991 collapse, leaders have been chosen by clan elders and elites, rather than through direct elections. A similar confrontation in 2021 with former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo also turned violent.
