Mogadishu Security Sweep Continues After Mortar Fire and Overnight Clashes

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Security agencies in Mogadishu have said that a major operation was nearing completion as forces pursued an armed group accused of launching mortar attacks on civilian neighborhoods in the capital amid heightened political and security tensions.

In a statement, the Somali Police Force said security personnel were targeting individuals believed to be involved in organizing and carrying out armed attacks that endangered civilians and threatened public security.

Police said mortar rounds had been fired into parts of Mogadishu, placing residents at risk and prompting a security response aimed at apprehending those responsible.

“The operation is focused on armed elements involved in attacks against civilian areas and activities that threaten the security and stability of the country,” the statement said.

The police force said the operation was being conducted in areas where suspects were believed to be sheltering but did not identify the group involved or provide further operational details.

Police also rejected suggestions that the security measures were aimed at peaceful demonstrators, insisting that security forces were responding to armed incidents rather than political gatherings.

The statement comes after a night of heavy gunfire and explosions in parts of Mogadishu, particularly in the Abdiaziz and Howlwadaag districts, where residents reported hours of fighting involving heavy and light weapons. Witnesses said the clashes kept many residents awake and sparked fears of a wider deterioration in security.

OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATIONS

The unrest coincided with preparations for opposition demonstrations that had been approved by the Banadir regional administration under strict conditions, including designated gathering points and a ban on weapons. The planned rallies are part of a broader political dispute between the federal government and opposition leaders over constitutional reforms, elections and governance issues.

While security officials have accused armed groups of carrying out attacks on public institutions and civilian areas, they have not publicly clarified whether the suspects being pursued are linked to opposition-aligned forces involved in recent confrontations or to other armed actors that may have exploited the instability.

The lack of clarity has fueled competing accounts of the violence, with government officials and opposition figures offering differing explanations for the events that unfolded in the capital. Independent verification of those claims remains difficult.

The operation also comes as Somali security agencies continue efforts to safeguard Mogadishu against threats from the militant group Al-Shabaab, which remains capable of carrying out attacks despite ongoing military operations across central and southern Somalia. Security forces have in recent months reported disrupting plots involving mortars and explosives intended for use in the capital.

Police urged residents to remain vigilant, avoid areas where security operations are underway and cooperate with authorities as efforts continue to restore calm.

Authorities said further details would be released as investigations and security operations progress.