The Somali Police Force has closed an illegal abortion clinic in Mogadishu’s Deyniile district that was providing unsafe pregnancy terminations to women, including those carrying babies conceived through extramarital relationships.
Police spokesperson Abdifatah Adan Hassan told journalists during a press briefing that security officers successfully raided the facility, arresting the man who managed the clinic along with several women who worked there.
“This house was being used as a place where women were brought to terminate pregnancies, both those who conceived illegally and those in relationships outside marriage,” said Hassan. “The clinic charged $400 for each abortion. Today, our forces have arrested the man running the operation and the women who assisted him.”
Hassan expressed shock at the nature of the operation, noting that the clinic functioned openly without any attempt to conceal its illegal activities.
“It is shocking that they even advertised their services publicly,” he said. “They had posters offering to help women terminate unwanted pregnancies and even created a Facebook page to promote their work. This was not a hidden operation.”
The police spokesperson confirmed that the suspects would be arraigned in court once investigations are completed.
The operation, which led to the arrests, was conducted in collaboration with the National Medical Practitioners Council, which oversees professional health standards in the country.
Dr. Cadow, the Secretary-General of the Medical Practitioners Council, condemned the clinic’s activities, saying they violated both medical ethics and national health regulations.
“The Council’s role is to ensure health practices are safe and legal,” Dr. Cadow said. “What was happening in this house was completely illegal and unethical. We’ve seen similar cases — including people who sell meat by day and pose as doctors by night, endangering lives in the process. We are determined to take action against such practices.”
Residents of Deyniile welcomed the police action, saying the clinic had long raised suspicion in the community. Many expressed relief, noting that the closure would help protect vulnerable women from exploitation and dangerous medical procedures.
Authorities have urged the public to report any unlicensed medical operations or suspicious health facilities to prevent further loss of life and to uphold public health standards in Mogadishu.
