Mogadishu residents clash with forces over home demolitions

Violent clashes have erupted in Mogadishu’s Yaqshid district as residents resisted government-led home demolitions. Witnesses reported that government forces and protesters exchanged fire, resulting in several deaths and injuries. Protesters blocked roads with burning tyres, demanding a resolution to land and housing disputes before authorities proceed with clearing structures they claim are built on disputed or illegally occupied land.

The unrest highlights a deepening crisis regarding property ownership and land seizures in the Somali capital. While the Union of Councils of Scholars has urged citizens to resolve disputes through the courts and verify ownership documents, many residents argue that the judicial system is too weak to provide protection. Critics of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration allege that state authorities and politically connected interests are using government power to facilitate the seizure and redevelopment of valuable land, leading to large-scale displacement.