Thursday June 4, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Heavy fighting between Somali government forces and armed opposition-aligned groups continued for more than 10 hours in Mogadishu, disrupting road and airport traffic and forcing residents to flee parts of the capital.
The clashes began Wednesday at Dabka junction, where government forces and security guards of former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire traded accusations over who started the confrontation.
The fighting later spread to several districts and neighborhoods after opposition figures accused government forces of attacking former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
Residents in Hawlwadaag district filmed scenes of panic as heavy gunfire rang out in the background. Witnesses said they saw armed opposition forces clashing with Somali police.
“The shooting lasted for about 15 minutes before it subsided. They even used RPGs, and the sound of the explosions could be heard across the surrounding neighborhoods,” witness Saleban Mahad said.
Banadir Regional Police Commander Mahdi Omar Mumin said Thursday morning that security agencies were close to completing a major operation against what he described as heavily armed militias firing mortars into neighborhoods of the capital.
He urged residents to remain alert and cooperate with security agencies, saying operations were continuing to remove armed groups from the city.
“Security agencies are also conducting ongoing operations to eliminate these armed militias, and anyone involved in these acts will be swiftly brought to justice,” he said.
The violence disrupted movement across Mogadishu, with airport access and major roads affected. Some residents fled their homes, fearing the fighting could spread to other districts.
The clashes erupted hours after the Banadir Regional Administration and Mogadishu Municipality said opposition groups would be allowed to hold demonstrations Thursday, but only at designated locations and under strict security conditions.
Authorities approved rallies at Banadir Stadium in Abdiaziz district, Mogadishu Stadium in Warta Nabadda district and the Jaamacadaha area in Hodan district.
Opposition leaders rejected government efforts to restrict demonstrations to specific sites, arguing that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and should be allowed across the capital.
The planned protests come amid rising political tension over elections, constitutional changes and Somalia’s political transition. Opposition leaders accuse President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government of pushing through reforms without consensus. Federal officials say the government is moving Somalia toward one-person, one-vote elections and must protect public order in Mogadishu.
The president has been trying to move Somalia away from its indirect electoral model, in which clan elders play a central role, toward direct elections. But the opposition says any electoral transition must be based on broad political agreement.
