Clashes in Mogadishu: Civilians Flee the City
In Somalia's capital Mogadishu, fierce clashes erupted between government forces and opposition-backed militias, causing property damage and forcing some civilians to flee their homes. The clashes began on Wednesday afternoon when opposition leaders, along with militias, took positions in their clan strongholds in the city. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
The city's main thoroughfare, Makka al-Mukarrama Street, turned into a battlefield, and by sunset mortar shells were falling on densely populated civilian neighborhoods and the Bakara market, Somalia's largest commercial center. Videos emerged on social media showing plumes of smoke over the city skyline.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud plunged Somalia into a new political crisis in mid-May by announcing a one-year extension of his term, although it was due to expire on May 15. The opposition and regional leaders rejected the decision, and protest demonstrations were planned for Thursday.
Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who was in power from 2009 to 2012, said government forces fired on his home and accused Mohamud's government of an "unconstitutional change." "Government forces surrounded and attacked my home. I am never afraid of their aggressive attack, I will fight back," 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 had launched a "sustained and indiscriminate military attack" aimed at killing him and Ahmed.
The scenes of violence recalled 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. So even if the shooting stops, it doesn't mean the fighting is over," she said.
Bashir Mohamed said he left his home in the Howl Wadag district. "You don't know who is who. Both sides are dressed in military uniforms, and violence could resume at any moment," he said.
The police reported 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 warfare 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, which is linked to Al-Qaeda.
UN Secretary-General António 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 purposes," a statement from his office said. Guterres called on all sides to exercise restraint, protect civilians, and resolve political differences through dialogue.
The British embassy in Mogadishu also called on "all sides to exercise restraint and engage in inclusive, constructive dialogue to peacefully resolve tensions," while the US diplomatic mission said the "reckless" violence posed a threat to Somalia's unity and future.
Source: The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/04/civilians-flee-mogadishu-somalia-as-militias-and-troops-trade-fire)