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Heavy gunfire and plumes of smoke engulfed Mogadishu overnight as Somalia’s political crisis intensified, AFP journalists reported.
The clashes erupted ahead of planned protests, following President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s controversial decision to extend his term by one year, a move that has drawn strong opposition from regional leaders and political rivals.
The violence began on Wednesday as opposition figures entered the capital, preparing for demonstrations against Mohamud’s term extension, which was initially set to expire on May 15.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire reported an attack by government forces after relocating from the fortified airport green zone to his city residence in anticipation of the protests.
“An attack was launched against us by forces commanded by the president whose term has expired,” Khaire said in a social media post, emphasising that they had been organising a “peaceful demonstration” for the following day.
AFP journalists witnessed armed confrontations between opposition forces and Somali police, with gunfire reported near the residence of former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed close to Lido Beach. Police confirmed a “large-scale security operation” targeting “heavily armed militias who launched mortar attacks on some neighbourhoods of the capital.” Residents in the Howl Wadaag district were filmed panicking as the sounds of gunfire filled the streets.
Mohamud has defended the extension, arguing that a new parliamentary-approved constitution passed in March granted him an additional year to organise elections under a system designed to replace the clan-based model with more democratic structures.
However, Somalia remains deeply divided along clan lines, with Al-Shabaab controlling significant regions, complicating nationwide electoral preparations. Opposition and regional leaders have denounced Mohamud’s plan as an attempt to centralise power and undermine democratic processes.
The unrest underscores Somalia’s fragile political landscape, where efforts to establish democratic institutions continue to clash with entrenched divisions and security challenges.
