Security forces in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, have fired on hundreds of people protesting against the delay of the country’s elections as at least one explosion was reported at the international airport and armoured personnel carriers blocked major streets.
A protest leader told the Associated Press news agency on Friday that “some have died”.
According to reports by Al Jazeera, one witness, Yusuf Mohamed, reported a “heavy exchange of gunfire” between security forces and armed guards protecting opposition supporters who began their march along the main airport road.
Another witness, Fadumo Moalim, told AFP news agency: “We were peacefully walking along the airport road together with former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, when the security forces opened fire on us, creating mayhem.”
Today we were shot at by the military in Mogadishu, Somalia as we held peaceful protests against the refusal by Farmaajo government to hold timely elections and his illegal grab of power by force. I am alright but I don't know about other Somalis. pic.twitter.com/zk79SuDTwa
— Ayaan Ali (@SomAyaanAli) February 19, 2021
A video seen by Al Jazeera from an anti – government demonstration showed civilians in face masks waving Somali flags scattering as gunfire erupted.
People went into the streets despite the government banning public gatherings this week. It cited a rise in COVID-19 cases, but critics called it an attempt to block the protest.
According to a report by Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi, reporting from Nairobi, said that the gunfire erupted in an area close to the airport and that huge blasts were heard in several buildings in the area.
The Associated Press saw wounded protesters limping or being carried into a local hospital.
“It’s very difficult to see how [protests] are going to happen now. There are police, military checkpoints – huge military deployment,” Soi said.
The violence comes after weeks of tensions over the holding of delayed elections in the Horn of Africa nation.
The gunfire began shortly after Khaire, a presidential candidate, began leading the peaceful march on Friday.
Somalia’s prime minister condemned the clashes on Friday, underlining that the presence of armed demonstrators was “unacceptable”.
“Every person in this country has a constitutional right to protest peacefully but my government will not tolerate any armed protesters and it is unacceptable,” Mohamed Hussein Roble said in a televised speech.
The United Nations in Somalia (UNSOM) wrote on Twitter on Friday it was “deeply concerned by armed clashes in Mogadishu overnight and on Friday morning, calls for calm and restraint by all parties involved, and urges that open lines of communication be maintained to help reduce tensions”.
UNSOM highlighted the urgent need for the federal government and states to “reach political agreement” on the election.