Somalia Clashes Erupt Over Term Extension

Clashes erupted in Mogadishu between Somali government forces and opposition-allied militias following President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term extension by parliament. Fighting began Wednesday night as both sides took positions across the city ahead of planned demonstrations Thursday, according to The Guardian and The New York Times. Opposition leaders, including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, accused government forces of targeting their homes with heavy weapons.

The violence broke out after parliament voted to extend Mohamud's term by one year beyond its May 15 expiration. Opposition figures condemned the move as a constitutional crisis, while supporters argued it would facilitate a transition to direct elections. The fighting damaged property and forced residents like Kowsar Abdi Ibrahim from Mogadishu's Howl Wadaag district to flee for safety.

Ahmed claimed in a video statement that government forces encircled his home but vowed to fight back. Khaire accused the government of using anti-tank weapons and drones, endangering civilians. The Somali Ministry of Defense stated that security agencies neutralized armed militia members who attacked police forces in Hodan District.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the violence, calling for restraint and dialogue to resolve political differences peacefully. International missions from the UK and US also urged all parties to exercise restraint. The clashes echoed similar violence in 2021 when an election date lapsed without a vote occurring, highlighting ongoing political instability in Somalia.

According to Al Jazeera, the fighting began around the homes of former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. The government said the planned protests would undermine security in a city still grappling with persistent armed violence. Hundreds of families fled neighborhoods near the fighting, and by the next day, many of the capital’s central areas had emptied.

Ali Wardheere, the deputy central bank governor, estimated the direct cost to businesses and services at $3.8m, though he stressed the figure was a model-based projection, not an official or final tally. The violence ended a period of improving security in Mogadishu, shattering the perception that the city had begun turning a corner.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says that constitutional amendments approved by parliament extended his mandate by an additional year from May 15. The opposition rejects that and has begun referring to him as a “former president”. Two of Somalia’s most influential federal states also reject the amendments, leaving the country divided over the constitutional framework governing the next election.

Somali security forces have restored order in two districts of the capital, according to Reuters. The information ministry said that opposition group militias had been disarmed and removed, and civilians had returned to their daily lives. However, residents reported that the militias were not disarmed but rather stopped fighting after mediation involving clan elders.

Reuters was unable to independently verify claims by former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire that government forces used heavy weapons in residential areas. The information ministry accused Ahmed and Khaire of endangering ordinary people's lives by sending their militias into residential areas and attacking police officers.