Overview
- Heavy exchanges of gunfire broke out between government forces and opposition-aligned militias in Mogadishu, running Wednesday night into Thursday morning and centered around Dabka and Howl Wadaag.
- Opposition leaders including ex‑PM Hassan Ali Khaire and ex‑president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed say they were targeted in the attacks while police say officers were assaulted and launched a large security operation to neutralize heavily armed groups.
- Witnesses and opposition figures reported the use of heavy weapons such as rocket launchers, anti‑tank arms and drones during the sustained fighting, though no official casualty toll has been released.
- Members of both camps reported negotiations after the clashes and the capital was described as temporarily calmer, but the political impasse over the March reform that extended terms remains unresolved.
- The U.S. embassy condemned the violence as irresponsible, and analysts warn the clashes could derail elections, deepen humanitarian suffering and create openings for Al‑Shabaab to exploit.