Gunfire erupts in Mogadishu before protests against Somali president’s rule

play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionWorld CupVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomySportHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftTrendingUS-Israel war on IranTracking Israel's ceasefire violationsRussia-Ukraine warDonald TrumpWorld Cup 2026caret-rightNewsGunfire erupts in Mogadishu before protests against Somali president’s ruleEx-Somali PM Khaire accuses government forces of attacking him before planned antigovernment protests in Mogadishu. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoSomalia's ex-Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire says he was attacked by government forces before planned protests [Feisal Omar/Reuters]By Al Jazeera Staff and AFPPublished On 3 Jun 20263 Jun 2026Heavy gunfire has broken out in central Mogadishu as Somalia’s former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire says he has been attacked by government forces before planned protests. “An attack was launched against us by forces commanded by the president whose term has expired,” Khaire said in a social media post on Wednesday, adding they had been preparing for a “peaceful demonstration” the following day. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud “bears full responsibility for today’s violent attack on our consultative meeting”, he said. Somalia has fallen into yet another political crisis after 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. Khaire 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 AFP news agency 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. 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-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed 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 the United Kingdom, 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 – his time has expired”. “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. Former 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. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: