Smoke rises over the Indian Ocean city, AFP reports. Police have launched a major operation to "neutralize" armed militias who have attacked areas of the capital, according to a statement.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire instead claims that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sent armed forces against the opposition ahead of planned protests against Mohamud's rule. The country was supposed to hold elections in May, but instead the president extended his own mandate through a constitutional amendment in March.
"This evening, repeated attacks were directed at the residence of former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in Mogadishu by forces acting on the orders of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud," Khaire writes on X and continues:
“Now he is mobilizing state forces to silence those who oppose his unconstitutional hold on power.”
According to Khaire, there are casualties.
The US embassy in Mogadishu calls the flare-up of violence “reckless.” Somali leaders on all sides have a responsibility to preserve stability, it wrote on X .
“Actions taken in the coming hours and days could have long-term consequences for Somalia’s security, unity and future.”
Somalia has long been hard hit by political crises and conflicts between clans, Islamist groups and weak governments. Combined with a prolonged drought, this has created one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.
