Civilians flee Mogadishu as Somali troops, opposition militias exchange fire
As the confrontation gathered pace from Wednesday afternoon, opposition figures who had joined with militias were reported to have established positions inside clan strongholds across the city.
Thursday June 4, 2026
Smoke billowed above Mogadishu’s Howl Wadaag neighbourhood on Thursday after reports of mortar fire, as the Somali capital endured some of its most intense fighting in years. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
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Government troops and opposition-aligned militias have clashed violently in Somalia’s capital, leaving property damaged and forcing some residents to abandon their homes.
As the confrontation gathered pace from Wednesday afternoon, opposition figures who had joined with militias were reported to have established positions inside clan strongholds across the city.
Maka al-Mukarama road, one of Mogadishu’s busiest arteries, was transformed into a combat zone, and by nightfall mortar rounds were striking crowded civilian districts and Bakara market, the country’s largest commercial hub.
Video circulating on social media captured columns of smoke rising over the skyline.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pushed Somalia into a new political crisis in mid-May when he announced a one-year extension of his term, which had been scheduled to end on 15 May. Opposition figures and regional leaders have rejected the move, and protests against it are set for Thursday.
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who served as president from 2009 to 2012, said government forces had targeted his home and accused Mohamud’s administration of “illegally altering the constitution”. “The government forces encircled and attacked my house. I am never scared of their aggressive attack, I will fight back,” he said in a video posted overnight on his Facebook account.
In a post on X, former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire said government troops had deployed heavy weapons, including anti-tank weapons and drones, in a densely populated part of the city. Khaire said the authorities had launched “a sustained and indiscriminate military assault” intended to kill him and Ahmed.
The unrest recalled the clashes of 2021, when a disputed election timetable expired without a vote.
“I haven’t seen this kind of fighting in five years,” said Kowsar Abdi Ibrahim, a resident of Mogadishu’s Howl Wadaag district. “In 2021 there was fighting as well but this is more intense than anyone expected.”
During a temporary lull on Thursday, Ibrahim fled with her grandmother to a nearby district. “There are still troop movements,” she said. “So even if the gunshots stop, it doesn’t mean the fighting has ended.”
Bashir Mohamed, who also left his home in Howl Wadaag, said the chaos made it impossible to tell friend from foe. “You don’t know who is who,” he said. “Both sides are wearing military attire and the violence can pick back up any time.”
Police said they were carrying out a “large-scale security operation” against “heavily armed militias who launched mortar attacks on some neighbourhoods of the capital”.
Somalia has lived through decades of conflict and clan warfare without a strong central government since the overthrow of autocratic ruler Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The country is also still battling a nearly 20-year insurgency by the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabaab group.
UN secretary general António Guterres said the latest violence had killed people, wounded civilians and damaged vital infrastructure. “The secretary general strongly condemns all acts of violence and incitement to violence undertaken for political advantage,” his office said in a statement. Guterres urged all sides to show restraint, protect civilians and settle political disputes through dialogue.
The UK embassy in Mogadishu also called on “all parties to exercise restraint and engage in inclusive, constructive dialogue to resolve tensions peacefully”, while the US diplomatic mission said the “reckless” violence threatened Somalia’s unity and future.
Reuters contributed to this report
