MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – At least 20 people, most of them civilians, were killed on Thursday in fierce clashes between Somalia’s security forces and residents of Mogadishu’s Tarabunka neighborhood, amid a controversial government-led demolition campaign that has drawn sharp condemnation from across the political spectrum.
The violence broke out when security forces attempted to clear the Horseed area – formerly the site of Somalia’s national military club and now home to thousands of impoverished families who have occupied the land for over three decades. According to residents and local officials, the demolitions are part of a government initiative to sell public land to private developers seeking to build high-rise complexes, mirroring similar actions taken in other neighborhoods in recent years.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as heavily armed units, including the Turkish-trained Haram’ad special police force, moved into the densely populated area. Residents, determined to resist eviction, engaged in hours-long gun battles with the forces, leading to significant casualties on both sides.
Videos circulating on social media showed wounded soldiers being evacuated in pickup trucks as the sounds of heavy gunfire echoed through the neighborhood. In some footage, Somali troops were seen firing anti-aircraft guns and other heavy weaponry into residential zones, raising alarms over the use of excessive force in civilian areas.
The Erdogan Hospital, a Turkish-run medical facility located nearby, was reportedly overwhelmed with wounded patients, receiving casualties minute after minute.
The Somali federal government has not issued an official statement regarding the violence or the rising death toll. However, the operation is widely believed to have been authorized by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who returned to office in 2022. Since then, his administration has overseen the demolition of multiple settlements built on former public lands, often following interest from private investors.
Critics accuse the president of enriching himself through these land sales. Opposition leaders and prominent Somali scholars allege that proceeds from these transactions have largely bypassed state coffers, fueling corruption at the highest levels of government.
“This is a government killing its own people over land meant for sale to businessmen – a criminal act and a clear sign of state collapse,” said Abdifatah Abdinur, Puntland’s State Minister of the Presidency.
Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire condemned the use of military force against civilians, stating, “It is tragic that the National Army, established to protect civilians, is now being deployed to displace and kill the poor under direct orders from President Hassan Sheikh.”
His comments were echoed by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and ex-Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, who jointly denounced the government’s handling of land disputes and accused the president of betraying his pledge to prioritize security and the fight against Al-Shabaab militants.
Prominent Somali academic Mohamed Haji Ingiriis called the evictions part of a broader strategy to monetize public land for personal gain.
“The Somali people must understand that Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s rhetoric on Al-Shabaab was a pretext to generate more money for his family from Western resources,” Professor Ingiriis posted on X.
“Hassan Sheikh is the most corrupt of all leaders in Somali history and he should not be trusted with one bowl of rice.”
The ongoing demolitions and resultant bloodshed risk further destabilizing Mogadishu at a time when the insurgent group Al-Shabaab remains a persistent threat in the city. Analysts warn that alienating the urban poor and provoking violent unrest could create fertile ground for militant recruitment, further undermining the government’s efforts to stabilize the country ahead of next year’s elections.
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