Sharif, Khaire leave Mogadishu temporary residences after mediation effort

Friday June 5, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — In a move that could ease rising political friction in Somalia’s capital, former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire on Friday left the temporary homes they had taken up in two Mogadishu neighborhoods, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Sharif had recently relocated to Mirinaayo in Abdiaziz district, while Khaire had been staying in the Bermudo area. Opposition figures said the relocations were tied to efforts to mobilize supporters and step up anti-government demonstrations after authorities limited access to the locations where protests had been planned.

Sources close to Sharif said the former president chose on his own to return to his earlier residence near Mogadishu’s airport after mediation involving military officials and traditional elders.

The commander of the Somali National Army, together with several traditional leaders who took part in the talks, visited Sharif at his residence before the decision was reached, people familiar with the negotiations said.

According to one informed source, Sharif’s departure from Mirinaayo was not prompted by force or direct pressure, but came after several days of talks aimed at calming tensions in the neighborhood.

Earlier, the federal government had called on opposition leaders to go back to their normal residences as part of a broader effort to steady the situation in Mogadishu.

Sharif had previously insisted that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had no authority to determine where he lives or to curb his political activity. The latest developments, however, show he is now leaving the Mirinaayo residence.

Accounts from the area also indicate that troops stationed nearby are expected to pull out in the coming hours. There has been no official confirmation that the armed supporters or security personnel accompanying Sharif will be disarmed.

Sources in the neighborhood said no action is expected against residents or supporters who stood with the former president during his time in Mirinaayo.

The shift comes after several days of strained relations between the federal government and opposition leaders over planned demonstrations, constitutional amendments and Somalia’s electoral process.

Opposition groups say the government is tightening political space and blocking peaceful protests. Federal officials, by contrast, argue that the security restrictions are needed to preserve public order and avert armed clashes in the capital.