Fighting continued overnight after breaking out on Wednesday evening - courtesy of AFP

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all parties in Somalia to exercise restraint following heavy overnight clashes in the capital between government forces and opposition fighters.

The violence erupted in Mogadishu after political tensions escalated over delayed national elections. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term expired on May 15 but was subsequently extended by a year—a move the opposition decried as unconstitutional.

Residents reported persistent gunfire across several neighborhoods throughout the night. Local resident Ahmed Ismail told Reuters that a mortar shell struck a neighbor’s house, injuring a mother, and left a nearby building ablaze. Total casualties remain unconfirmed, and the presidency has not yet commented.

Police stated they were conducting a “large-scale security operation” against “heavily armed militias” who allegedly launched mortar attacks. However, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire claimed government forces attacked him and other leaders as they prepared for a peaceful protest on Thursday.

Writing on X, Khaire held the president responsible for any casualties. Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed similarly declared that the opposition would not be intimidated.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated that Guterres is “alarmed” by the violence and underscored the urgent need for stakeholders to resume dialogue to safeguard civilian infrastructure.

The UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) added that repeated international warnings regarding a renewed political crisis had been ignored, urging leaders to prioritize national interests.

Planned opposition demonstrations did not take place due to the fighting. While sporadic gunfire was still audible in some districts, the capital has largely calmed, and the Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that operations at Aden Adde Airport continue to run normally without flight disruptions.