Gunfight erupts in Mogadishu ahead of planned opposition protests
Videos and photos circulating on social media showed what appeared to be intense shooting in the area. The number of casualties was not immediately known, and the federal government had not released an official account of the incident.
Wednesday June 3, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Gunfire erupted Wednesday afternoon at Dabka junction in Mogadishu, where government forces exchanged fire with the security detail of former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, just hours before opposition groups were set to stage demonstrations in the capital.
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Videos and photos circulating on social media showed what appeared to be intense shooting in the area. The number of casualties was not immediately known, and the federal government had not released an official account of the incident.
Khaire said in a statement posted on social media that government forces attacked a consultative meeting he was attending with traditional elders, lawmakers, opposition figures, youth leaders and civil society activists.
“Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, whose presidential mandate constitutionally expired on May 15, 2026, bears full responsibility for today’s violent attack on our consultative meeting,” Khaire said.
He said the gathering included more than 70 traditional elders, among them Ugaas Abdirizak, Ugaas Abdullahi and Ugaas Hashi, along with members of Parliament and opposition representatives.
Khaire accused the authorities of seeking to frighten opposition leaders ahead of Thursday’s planned protests.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and pray for the swift recovery of the injured,” Khaire said. “This attack is a grave assault on the constitutional rights of Somali citizens and a deliberate attempt to suppress peaceful assembly.”
He said the clash took place as opposition leaders and traditional elders were preparing for what he described as a “Peace Assembly” planned for Thursday, following months of reconciliation talks with political and community stakeholders.
“Somalia’s future must be built on dialogue, consensus and constitutional order — not force and repression. Those responsible will be held accountable,” Khaire said.
The confrontation came only hours after the Banadir Regional Administration and Mogadishu Municipality announced that opposition groups would be permitted to protest on Thursday, but only in specific locations and under tight security rules.
Officials approved demonstrations at Banadir Stadium in Abdiaziz district, Mogadishu Stadium in Warta Nabadda district and the Jaamacadaha area in Hodan district.
They said protesters would not be allowed to carry weapons and warned that any activity likely to inflame tensions or undermine public order would be banned.
Opposition leaders have rejected the government’s plan to limit demonstrations to designated sites, arguing that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and should be allowed across the city.
Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said Tuesday that opposition groups would not accept efforts to confine the rallies to one location. He urged residents to join the demonstrations.
The planned protests come amid growing political friction over elections, constitutional amendments and Somalia’s wider political transition. Opposition leaders accuse Mohamud’s government of pressing ahead with reforms without consensus, while federal officials say they are steering the country toward one-person, one-vote elections and must safeguard public order in Mogadishu.
