Violence between government forces and opposition militias broke out in Somalia's capital before planned demonstrations against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term extension.
12:29 AM
Violence erupted in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, as government forces and opposition-allied militias exchanged fire ahead of planned antigovernment protests. The fighting began Wednesday and continued into Thursday, damaging buildings and forcing residents to flee the city.
The clashes occurred before demonstrations scheduled against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's decision to extend his term despite it expiring May 15. Parliament voted to extend his term by one year, a move that opposition leaders characterized as a constitutional crisis.
Opposition figures including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Prime Minister Hassan Khayre announced the planned protests in response to the term extension. Ahmed said government forces had targeted his home with the intention of killing him because of his opposition to the extended term and his leadership of resistance efforts against it.
After opposing sides established positions within Mogadishu late Wednesday, gunfire and fighting broke out in the city. No official casualty figures were immediately available from the violence. The United Nations and the United States called for restraint as the government and opposition traded blame for the outbreak of fighting.
Residents evacuated from affected areas, with some boarding vehicles to leave the capital. Shops closed across parts of the city as the security situation deteriorated. Somali soldiers and armored vehicles carrying security forces patrolled streets in response to the clashes.
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