Mogadishu’s Deyniile district was thrown into violence on Sunday after security forces opened fire on residents protesting the demolition of their homes, leaving several people dead or wounded, according to local reports and opposition figures.
The confrontation unfolded in Warlaliska, where government security personnel had accompanied demolition workers to the area. Residents attempted to resist the operation, turning the exercise into a deadly confrontation as gunfire rang out.
The number of people killed remained disputed, with no official casualty figures released by the Federal Government by Sunday evening.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire said three civilians had been killed and several others injured. A separate local report, however, put the death toll at two.
Khaire condemned the shootings, holding the government responsible for the deaths and accusing the administration of using force against residents resisting what he described as land grabbing and unlawful displacement.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the civilians who were shot dead today,” Khaire wrote on Facebook, adding that he was praying for those who had sustained injuries.
The former prime minister questioned the use of security forces against residents protesting the destruction of their homes, accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration of overseeing an operation that had left civilians dead.
However, Khaire did not provide evidence that the president had personally ordered officers to open fire. The presidency had not publicly responded to his accusations by the time of publication.
The former prime minister also issued a warning to the security personnel involved, urging them to stop using their weapons against civilians and reminding them that they could eventually face accountability.
“I remind the military officers that a day will come when the rule of law prevails, and those who have shed the blood of their own people will be held to account,” he said.
The violence came amid mounting complaints from residents over demolition exercises in Deyniile, where families have accused authorities of removing them from their homes without adequate legal resolution or compensation.
Local reports indicated that more than 200 homes had been brought down during Sunday’s operation, although the figure had not been independently verified.
The demolitions have become a contentious issue in parts of Mogadishu, with affected residents challenging government-backed clearance operations over disputed land ownership and the destruction of residential settlements.