Somali opposition leaders warned on 12 October that armed clashes could erupt in Mogadishu after reports of continued military deployments near former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s residence. Opposition figures accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government of preparing to attack Ahmed, while the government has accused the opposition of planning to mobilise armed militia against the state.
Former Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon and MP Abdirahman Odowaa raised the warning at a media briefing. The Somali Future Council opposition coalition also condemned what it called “military provocations” around Ahmed’s residence in Wadajir district. Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre said military movements around opposition leaders’ homes risked worsening the country’s political crisis.
Reports from Somali media said federal forces and intelligence personnel had taken positions near Ahmed’s residence, while armed personnel loyal to the former president were also reported to be deployed nearby. Some residents reportedly left their homes amid fears of fighting. Although tensions later eased, rival forces remained in the area.
The government has warned that opposition groups are threatening security gains in Mogadishu. Mayor Hassan Mohamed Hussein said authorities would not negotiate over the country’s security and cautioned opposition politicians against confronting security forces. The government has also alleged that armed men loyal to Ahmed attacked intelligence forces on 11 August, a claim the former president denied.
The latest tensions are linked to a wider political dispute over changes to Somalia’s provisional constitution. The government pushed through changes in March that extended the president’s mandate by one year and allowed the electoral system to be restructured. Opposition leaders have rejected the changes and called for a return to the 2012 constitution and an agreed electoral process.
The immediate standoff has eased, but the continued deployment of rival forces around Ahmed’s residence risks further escalation in Mogadishu. Reports that armed supporters may have travelled from Middle Shabelle to reinforce his security detail remain unverified.
