Mogadishu residents flee as gunfire breaks out near house of former Somali PM

People in Mogadishu's Howl Wadaag district flee as gunfire can be heard near former Somali prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire's home. Khaire said in a social media post that he was attacked by government forces ahead of planned protests. 

Heavy gunfire broke out in central Mogadishu on Wednesday as Somalia's former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire said he was attacked by government forces ahead of planned protests.

Somalia has fallen into yet another political crisis after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced that his term had been extended for a year after it was due to expire on May 15.

The opposition and regional leaders have rejected the move and demonstrations were due to take place on Thursday.

The former prime minister relocated from his base in the heavily fortified green zone around the airport to his residence in the city, in order to take part in the protests.

"An attack was launched against us by forces commanded by the president whose term has expired," Khaire said in a social media post, adding they had been preparing for a "peaceful demonstration" the following day.

An AFP journalist filmed images of panicked residents in the Howl Wadaag district near his home, with loud gunshots heard in the background.

Witnesses told AFP they saw armed opposition forces clashing with Somali police.

"The shooting lasted for about 15 minutes before it subsided. They even used RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades), and the sound of the explosions could be heard across the surrounding neighbourhoods," said one witness, Saleban Mahad.

Election plan

The president has been attempting to move Somalia towards democratic elections, replacing a system based around clan elders.

Mohamud argues he was given an extra year in the presidency when a new constitution was passed by parliament in March that set the framework for polls.

But with the country deeply divided between rival clans, and much of it under the control of Al-Shabaab, an Islamist insurgent group, there has been little progress on organising elections beyond a few localised pockets.

Opposition and regional leaders have strongly opposed Mohamud's plan, seeing it as an attempt to centralise power.

Foreign powers, primarily the United States and Britain, have attempted to broker talks between the government and opposition to little avail.

Ex-president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has also moved into central Mogadishu for Thursday's protest.

He criticised the attack on Khaire, saying the president "seeks to cause further bloodshed despite not having a legitimate official mandate".

"This attack will not stop the demonstrations by residents of the capital who are protesting against injustice, displacement, and the abuse of government power," he said on X.

Previous presidents have also stayed in office beyond their mandates.

The last president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, stayed more than a year in office after the official end of his mandate in 2021, triggering violence and condemnation from the international community.