MOGADISHU (AEA) – Violent clashes erupted in the Somali capital on Thursday as factions within the national security forces turned their weapons on one another during a disputed government operation to demolish a low-income neighborhood.
The fighting broke out in the Warlaliska area of the Daynile district, a densely populated zone home to thousands of families.
Witnesses reported intense gun battles and the use of rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) after one unit of the security forces refused to carry out eviction orders, instead siding with local residents who claimed they held legal titles to the land.
“It was chaos. One group of soldiers came with bulldozers, and another group of soldiers blocked the road to protect the houses,” said Halima Abdi, a resident who fled the area.
“They are supposed to protect us, but they are fighting each other in our streets.”
The incident highlights the fragile nature of Somalia’s security architecture, where clan loyalties often override the formal chain of command.
It also underscores the growing tension over property rights in Mogadishu, where rising land values are driving a wave of “state-led” evictions that critics say favor well-connected elites and developers.
The violence comes at a politically sensitive time. The federal government is currently engaged in high-stakes talks with opposition leaders regarding a proposed two-year extension of the current administration’s tenure.
Opponents of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud have seized on the Mogadishu clashes as evidence of the government’s inability to maintain basic order, let alone oversee a complex electoral transition.
“When the security forces split, the state is in peril,” said Mohamed Ibrahim, a Somali political commentator.
“This isn’t just about a few houses; it’s about the lack of a unified national identity within the very institutions meant to provide stability.”
As night fell over Mogadishu, the sounds of sporadic gunfire continued to echo. The government has yet to issue a formal statement on the casualties, but local hospitals reported several deaths and dozens of injuries.
The incident serves as a grim reminder that despite gains against al-Shabaab militants, the internal fractures within the Somali state remain a primary threat to its long-term peace.
