Monday October 12, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire warned Sunday against military movements around the homes of former national leaders in Mogadishu, saying the deployment risked triggering violence as tensions deepen between the federal government and opposition figures.
Khaire accused forces acting under the direction of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of carrying out what he described as provocations around the residences of former leaders, including former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
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“I strongly caution against the provocations and military movements by forces acting under the instructions of outgoing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, around the homes of former national leaders in Mogadishu,” Khaire wrote on X.
“These actions are reckless, endanger lives, and risk plunging the capital into insecurity while deepening an already serious political crisis,” he added.
Khaire, an opposition figure and former prime minister from 2017 to 2020, also urged the government and opposition to return to negotiations over Somalia’s disputed electoral process.
“I reiterate, military force, threats and intimidation cannot resolve Somalia’s political crisis or its wider national challenges,” Khaire wrote. “The only way forward is through inclusive dialogue and a political agreement on the elections.”
His comments followed an escalating dispute between Sharif and Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), over security incident in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district.
NISA on Sunday accused armed men it described as militias operating under Sharif’s command of attacking and obstructing members of its Public Protection Forces in the General Da’ud section of Wadajir.
The agency alleged that armed men carrying AK-47 rifles, BKM machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades forcibly entered homes in the Tiintiinley neighborhood and attempted to provoke government forces into an armed confrontation.
NISA maintained that its personnel exercised restraint to avoid violence and civilian casualties.
“The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) is a law-abiding security agency that operates independently of political rivalries,” the agency said, adding that it would not allow its forces to be drawn into political disputes.
The agency also accused Sharif-aligned forces of attacking its personnel on June 24 and abducting an officer carrying out official duties, before obstructing another security operation three days later.
Sharif rejected the accusations hours later and accused government forces of targeting members of his office and restricting movement around his residence.
“National security agencies must remain independent of political rivalries, operate within the law and protect all citizens equally,” Sharif’s office said. “We call upon the leadership of NISA to cease misleading the Somali public.”
Sharif’s office alleged that government forces had deployed around his residence, that some members of his staff had been abducted and that roadblocks had restricted deliveries of food and water.
It also maintained that Sharif’s security personnel had exercised restraint to prevent an armed confrontation.
Neither side’s allegations have been independently verified.
The confrontation comes amid a prolonged political dispute between Mohamud’s government and opposition groups over constitutional changes, the electoral system and the duration of federal institutions’ mandates.
Opposition leaders have pushed for a negotiated electoral agreement, while the federal government has sought to move Somalia toward direct voting through political parties.
Talks between the government and opposition groups collapsed in July after the sides failed to agree on the model and administration of the next elections. The discussions focused partly on whether Somalia should proceed with direct party-based elections or retain elements of its longstanding clan-based power-sharing system.
International partners have repeatedly urged Somali leaders to resume dialogue and reach a consensus electoral roadmap, warning that unresolved political disagreements could contribute to further instability.
Political tensions have previously spilled into armed confrontations in Mogadishu, adding to concerns that disputes involving heavily armed security details and government forces could again threaten security in the capital.