In the Somali capital Mogadishu, fierce clashes erupted between government troops and militias allied with the opposition, resulting in property damage and forcing some civilians to flee. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
On the eve of the fighting, which began on Wednesday afternoon, opposition leaders along with militias took positions in their clan strongholds in the city.
The city's main thoroughfare, Makka al-Mukarama road, turned into a battlefield, and by sunset mortar shells fell into densely populated civilian neighborhoods and the Bakara market, Somalia's largest commercial hub.
Videos appeared on social media showing smoke rising over the city's skyline.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in mid-May plunged Somalia into a new political crisis by announcing a one-year extension of his term, although it was due to expire on May 15. The opposition and regional leaders rejected this decision and plan to hold protests against him on Thursday.
Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who was in power from 2009 to 2012, said government forces targeted his home and accused Mohamud's government of "unconstitutional changes." "Government forces surrounded and attacked my home. I am never afraid of their aggressive attack, I will resist," he said in a video posted on his Facebook page overnight.
In a post on X, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused government forces of using heavy weapons, including anti-tank weapons and drones, in a densely populated area. Khaire said the government launched a "continuous and indiscriminate military attack" aimed at killing him and Ahmed.
These scenes of violence echo clashes in 2021 when the election date was missed without a vote.
"I haven't seen such fighting in five years," said Kowsar Abdi Ibrahim, who lives in the Howl Wadag district of Mogadishu. "In 2021 there was also fighting, but this is more intense than anyone expected."
During a lull on Thursday, Ibrahim fled with his grandmother to a neighboring district. "There are still troop movements," she said. "So even if the shooting stops, it doesn't mean the fight is over."
Bashir Mohamed said he left his home in the Howl Wadag district. "You don't know who is who," he said. "Both sides are dressed in military uniforms, and violence could resume at any moment."
The police said they were conducting a "large-scale security operation" against "heavily armed militias that carried out mortar attacks on some areas of the capital."
Somalia has experienced conflicts and clan battles without a strong central government since the fall of autocratic ruler Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The country is also grappling with a nearly two-decade-long insurgency by the Al-Shabaab group, linked to Al-Qaeda.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the latest violence resulted in deaths, injuries to civilians, and damage to critical infrastructure. "The Secretary-General strongly condemns all acts of violence and incitement to violence committed for political gain," a statement from his office said. Guterres called on all parties to exercise restraint, protect civilians, and resolve political differences through dialogue.
The British embassy in Mogadishu also called on "all parties to exercise restraint and engage in inclusive, constructive dialogue to peacefully resolve tensions," while the US diplomatic mission said the "reckless" violence poses a threat to Somalia's unity and future.