Somalia in Chaos: Civil War Erupts After President Extends Term
The security situation in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, escalated after government forces and militias allied with opposition groups engaged in heavy gunfire throughout the night until Thursday morning. The clashes, which occurred in several densely populated areas, caused property damage, set armoured vehicles ablaze, injured civilians, and forced some residents to flee their homes. The wave of violence came ahead of a planned mass demonstration on Thursday opposing the decision by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to remain in office after his term expired last month. Political tensions in the Horn of Africa nation have risen since parliament approved constitutional amendments in March that could allow Mohamud to extend his tenure by one year whilst delaying elections.
According to accounts from several residents, the fighting began around 5.00 p.m. local time on Wednesday and continued into Thursday morning. Thousands of government troops were deployed to Mogadishu’s Howlwadag and Abdiasis districts, areas where clashes with militias supporting opposition figures took place. The conflict intensified further after former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed accused government forces of attacking his residence. Ahmed, who led Somalia from 2009 to 2012, said his home was targeted in a government military operation. He also accused the Mohamud administration of illegally amending the constitution. “Government forces surrounded and attacked my home. I have never been afraid of their aggressive attacks; I will fight back,” Ahmed said in a video posted to his Facebook account that evening.
Accusations against the government also came from former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire. In a post on the platform X, Khaire accused government forces of using heavy weaponry, including anti-tank weapons and drones, in densely populated areas. Khaire further accused the government of launching military attacks aimed at killing him and Ahmed. He claimed the government had directed “sustained and indiscriminate military attacks” intended to target him and the former president. Meanwhile, residents on the ground described a terrifying situation as mortars and various types of weapons hit residential neighbourhoods. A resident named Ahmed Ismail said a mortar projectile struck his neighbour’s house, injuring a mother. “A mortar shell landed on my neighbour’s house, injuring a mother. A large house near us also caught fire; mortars and other weapons landed there,” Ismail said. He described how civilians became victims amid the fighting between the two sides. “In front of our house, I saw a wounded man being carried away. Civilians continued to flee the fighting; I saw them walking carrying children and cursing both warring factions,” he added.
Similar testimony came from another resident, Mohamud Farah, who said militias allied with the opposition succeeded in torching at least two armoured vehicles belonging to government forces during the clashes. This latest violence once again highlights the fragility of Somalia’s political and security stability after more than three decades of protracted conflict. The country has been in turmoil since the collapse of the authoritarian ruler Mohamed Siad Barre’s regime in 1991, facing various armed conflicts, inter-clan strife, and a weak central government. In addition to internal political conflict, Somalia continues to face a nearly two-decade-long insurgency by al-Shabaab militants, who are affiliated with the al-Qaeda network. The latest developments in Mogadishu sparked international concern. The United States Embassy in Mogadishu condemned the violence, calling it irresponsible, and described it as reckless. “Somali leaders from all sides have a responsibility to maintain stability and resolve differences through peaceful means,” the embassy stated. The British Government also expressed concern over the unfolding situation in Somalia, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and prioritise dialogue to resolve political differences, asserting that the violence was unacceptable.