MOGADISHU, Somalia – A tense standoff between prominent opposition leaders and government forces escalated into gunfire at a Mogadishu police station on Wednesday, following public outrage over a viral video showing police brutally assaulting civilians.
The confrontation underscores Somalia’s deepening political rifts and growing anger over the conduct of security forces.
Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, and opposition leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame arrived at the Warta Nabadda district police station as the regional police commander was presenting several arrested officers to the media. The officers had been detained in connection with a violent assault earlier in the day at the city’s Siinaay market.
According to witnesses and sources, the opposition leaders, accompanied by their security details, attempted to enter the station, sparking a brief but intense exchange of fire with government troops guarding the compound.
“Gunfire broke out after the politicians’ guards tried to force their way inside,” one witness told local media. At least two people were killed and several others were injured. Among the dead was a member of Hassan Ali Khaire’s security team.
The Somali government swiftly condemned the opposition’s actions, accusing them of attempting to “forcefully take over” the police station and destabilize the capital.
The catalyst for the standoff was a widely circulated video posted on Somali social media on Wednesday morning. The footage showed several security officers repeatedly beating an elderly man and a woman in the bustling Siinaay market.
The graphic assault provoked immediate and widespread condemnation from the public and political leaders, who denounced it as a “barbaric act” against unarmed civilians.
In response to the uproar, police officials announced the arrest of five officers from both the police force and the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). The press briefing, interrupted by opposition leaders, was intended to highlight the government’s swift action in holding the perpetrators accountable.
Government condemns “destructive actions”
In a strongly worded statement, the Federal Government of Somalia placed full responsibility for the police station clash on the opposition leaders.
“The Federal Government of Somalia is saddened that politicians aspiring to national leadership would attempt to spill the blood of civilians and the Armed Forces,” the statement said, warning that those involved “will bear responsibility for their blatant violation of statehood, security, and the laws of the country.”
The government urged the politicians to “cease these destructive actions” and respect the constitution, vowing to hold accountable anyone who undermines national security.
The incident comes amid escalating tensions between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration and a vocal opposition. Key figures, including Sharif, Khaire, and Warsame, have increasingly criticized the government’s handling of security and its preparations for the 2026 elections.
The International Crisis Group has noted that disagreements over electoral reforms and constitutional changes have created a volatile political atmosphere.
Underlying the friction are persistent social grievances. The confrontation comes as controversy grows over the eviction of citizens from public land in Mogadishu.
Reports from humanitarian organizations, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, have documented tens of thousands of forced evictions in the capital, worsening the plight of displaced populations and fueling public discontent.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly documented abuses by Somali security forces. A recent U.S. State Department report on Somalia cited credible accounts of arbitrary killings and cruel treatment by government agents, warning that impunity remains a widespread problem.
Wednesday’s clash at the Warta Nabadda police station illustrates the combustible mix of public anger over official misconduct and a high-stakes power struggle among Somalia’s political elite.