Clashes Between the Somali Army and Opposition Militias in Mogadishu
The Somali government has accused armed militias led by former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire of carrying out an attack on a police station.
The Somali government has accused former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire of leading an armed militia that attacked a police station in the Holo Dag district of the capital, Mogadishu. Residents reported that intense fighting throughout the night and into Thursday morning caused significant property damage and forced a number of civilians to flee the area.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the government said that “masked armed militias equipped with heavy weapons targeted a police station in the Holo Dag district,” according to Somalia’s official news agency. It added that the attack took place in a densely populated area, placing civilians at considerable risk.
The authorities accused what they described as “armed militias” led by former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire of carrying out the attack.
The government further stated that security agencies had launched an official investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible, with the aim of taking legal action against all individuals involved. It emphasized that it would not tolerate any attempts to undermine security in the capital, obstruct the work of security institutions, spread disorder, or create panic among citizens.
For his part, Hassan Ali Khaire wrote on the social media platform X: “We were attacked by forces led by the president whose term has expired,” while he was preparing for a “peaceful demonstration” scheduled for the following day.
According to residents, the clashes began at approximately 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday and continued until Thursday morning. They reported that thousands of government troops had been deployed in two areas of the capital, where exchanges of fire took place with armed opposition supporters.
A witness named Ahmed Ismail stated early Thursday morning: “A mortar shell landed on my neighbour’s house, injuring a mother. A large house near us also caught fire after being struck by mortar rounds and other weapons.”
Opposition leaders argue that the term of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expired on May 15 and had planned to organize demonstrations on Thursday.
In mid-May, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced the official implementation of the new Constitution, stating that the mandate of the current government would continue until May 15, 2027.
Among the most significant amendments introduced by the new Constitution is the direct election of the president by popular vote rather than by Parliament. The presidential term will now be five years instead of four, as stipulated under the previous provisional Constitution.
