Somali police forces on Thursday showcased a large cache of weapons and military equipment recovered after 20 hours of intense clashes between government troops and militias loyal to opposition leaders in the capital, leaving several neighborhoods paralyzed and civilians fleeing their homes.
The violence erupted on Wednesday evening in the Howlwadaag district and spread across the city, marking the worst political violence in Mogadishu in months. The fighting comes ahead of planned anti-government protests against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s extension of his term, a move rejected by opposition figures and regional leaders.
According to police, masked gunmen armed with heavy weapons attacked a police checkpoint in the Howlwadaag district on Wednesday. Banadir Regional Police Commander Mahdi Omar Mumin said security forces are close to completing a major operation against what he described as heavily armed militias who fired mortar shells at civilian neighborhoods.
The former Prime Minister, Hassan Ali Khaire, who has been accused by the government of organizing the militias, denied the allegations and instead accused government forces of launching an indiscriminate military attack against him and other opposition leaders. Khaire claimed the attacks, which involved heavy weapons and drones, continued for more than 20 hours and described the actions as “war crimes.”
The clashes have paralyzed traffic throughout Mogadishu, disrupting access to the airport and major roads, while some residents have fled their homes fearing the fighting could spread. The international community, including the United Nations and the United States, has called for restraint and urged Somali leaders to resolve their differences through dialogue
