Somalia: Heavy weapons reportedly used in Mogadishu evictions as Turkish F-16s conduct low flights over capital
MOGADISHU, Somalia (Axadle) — A forced eviction operation in Mogadishu turned violent on Sunday, with Somali federal security forces reportedly deploying heavy weapons as Turkish F-16 fighter jets flew over the capital amid mounting tensions over a contentious demolition campaign.
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Residents of the Tokyo neighbourhood in Yaqshiid district said government forces used weapons, including DShK heavy machine guns, during clashes with civilians resisting the operation. Videos widely shared on social media appeared to show heavily armed security personnel deployed in the area.
The number of casualties could not immediately be verified independently. Residents and local reports said several young people had been killed or injured in the unrest, while federal authorities had not issued an official toll or provided a detailed account of the operation.
The violence is part of a broader eviction and demolition drive in Mogadishu. Residents and opposition politicians have accused the federal government of forcibly removing families from contested land without sufficient legal process or compensation. Government officials have previously said some of the operations are intended to reclaim public property.
There are growing fears that the Yaqshiid operation could move toward Suuq Bacaad, one of Mogadishu’s biggest markets and a key commercial and food-distribution centre for the capital’s northern districts. The market supports thousands of small traders whose livelihoods depend on its daily activity.
Tensions intensified further on Sunday when Turkish F-16s were seen flying at low altitude over parts of Mogadishu, including areas affected by the security operation, according to residents and videos circulating online. Turkish and Somali authorities did not immediately explain the flights or say whether they were linked to the eviction campaign.
Türkiye sent F-16 fighter aircraft to Mogadishu earlier this year as part of its expanding defence partnership with Somalia. The planes are based at Aden Adde International Airport, and Somali officials have said they are intended to support operations against Al-Shabaab.
The flights attracted added scrutiny because Turkish F-16s also passed over Mogadishu on May 10, when opposition-backed protests took place over alleged land seizures and political disputes linked to the federal government’s mandate. Security forces had established a heavy presence across the capital ahead of those demonstrations.
Some residents interviewed on Sunday said the low-level flights felt threatening, particularly because they occurred as armed government forces confronted civilians on the ground. No evidence has emerged that the Turkish aircraft fired weapons or directly took part in the security operation.
Even so, the timing is expected to intensify scrutiny of Türkiye’s expanding military role in Somalia.
Ankara has described its military presence as assistance to Somalia’s security institutions and its efforts to combat Al-Shabaab. However, the repeated sighting of Turkish combat aircraft over Mogadishu during politically sensitive domestic operations is prompting residents and government critics to question the limits of that mission.
The key issue is whether Türkiye’s F-16 deployment will remain confined to the campaign against Al-Shabaab or become increasingly linked in the public mind to the federal government’s response to internal political disputes.
Neither the Somali government nor Turkish authorities had immediately responded to those concerns.
