MOGADISHU — Heavy gunfire broke out in central Mogadishu on June 3, 2026, as armed opposition forces clashed with Somali police. Somalia's former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire stated that government forces attacked him and his supporters on June 3, 2026. Khaire said the attack occurred while they were preparing for a peaceful demonstration scheduled for June 4, 2026. He stated that the forces involved were commanded by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and claimed Mohamud bears full responsibility for the attack on the consultative meeting.
Video footage filmed by an AFP journalist showed residents in the Howl Wadaag district reacting with panic while gunshots were audible in the background on June 3, 2026. Witness Saleban Mahad said the shooting lasted about 15 minutes and included the use of rocket-propelled grenades on June 3, 2026. "The sound of explosions could be heard across surrounding neighborhoods on June 3, 2026," Mahad said.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced a one-year extension of his presidential term after it was due to expire on May 15, 2026. The extension followed the passage of a new constitution by parliament in March 2026. Opposition leaders and regional leaders in Somalia have rejected the term extension. Planned demonstrations against Mohamud were scheduled for June 4, 2026, in Mogadishu. Opposition and regional leaders view the term extension as an attempt to centralize power.
Ex-President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud seeks to cause further bloodshed despite not having a legitimate official mandate. "The attack on Hassan Ali Khaire will not stop demonstrations by residents of Mogadishu protesting injustice, displacement, and abuse of government power," Sheikh Ahmed said on the social media platform X.
Former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo remained in office for more than a year after his mandate officially ended in 2021. That extended stay triggered violence and condemnation from the international community. The United States and the United Kingdom have attempted to broker talks between the Somali government and opposition, though efforts by the two nations have had little success.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has attempted to transition Somalia toward democratic elections to replace a clan elder-based system. Little progress has been made on organizing national elections in Somalia beyond localized areas. Somalia remains deeply divided among rival clans and much of the country is under the control of al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed group.