Mogadishu, Somalia — Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has labeled a deadly clash between opposition supporters and security forces in Mogadishu as a “failed coup attempt,” sharply raising the political stakes in the Horn of Africa nation.
The accusation followed a violent confrontation on Wednesday at the Warta Nabadda district police station in the capital, which left several people dead or injured. The incident highlights Somalia’s deepening political rift as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud nears the end of his term.
“The attack on the police station was a failed coup attempt,” Barre declared at a cabinet meeting on Thursday. “Legitimacy and statehood came under armed assault. I am ordering the security forces to act against anyone who engages in criminal acts.”
By framing the clash as a direct assault on state authority, the prime minister has heightened fears of further instability in a country already battling an entrenched Islamist insurgency and fragile political institutions.
The violence comes at a time of heightened political tension. President Mohamud, in office since 2022, is pushing forward electoral reforms to introduce a “one person, one vote” system. Opposition figures argue that the reforms could unfairly consolidate power and tilt the playing field in favor of the incumbent ahead of elections slated for 2026.
That friction set the stage for the bloodshed on Wednesday. The government alleges that opposition politicians led an armed push to storm the Warta Nabadda police station.
“The Government of Somalia regrets that politicians who aspire to seize power… are trying to shed the blood of the people and the Armed Forces,” the Ministry of Information said in a statement.
Conflicting accounts of violence
Accounts of the confrontation diverge sharply. Banadir regional police commander Macallin Mahdi told state media that opposition-aligned forces, carrying heavy weapons, attempted to breach the station without warning, prompting officers to respond with force.
Officials say the assault violated Mogadishu’s strict arms control laws, meant to limit the spread of weapons in the often-volatile capital.
Opposition leaders, however, insist they were on a peaceful mission to secure the release of civilians detained in a land dispute—an issue that frequently sparks conflict in the fast-growing city.
They claim security forces opened fire without provocation, causing “significant losses,” and accuse the government of using violence to stifle legitimate political and civic activity.
The Mogadishu clashes risk diverting attention from Somalia’s fight against al-Shabaab. With backing from international partners, the federal government is pressing a major offensive against the al-Qaeda-linked militants. Analysts warn that political infighting in the capital could undercut these hard-fought security gains.
At Thursday’s cabinet meeting, Barre’s office also highlighted recent defense cooperation agreements with Jordan, Qatar, and Pakistan—part of a broader push to bolster the Somali National Army. These deals add to high-profile security pacts already signed with Turkey and Egypt.
As accusations fly, the prime minister’s charge of a “failed coup” has dramatically escalated the crisis, pushing Somalia into an even more precarious political moment.