MOGADISHU – Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said on Tuesday that authorities had removed 260 armed men from opposition leaders’ homes in the capital Mogadishu, accusing them of threatening security.
Fiqi said the men were in government custody and would be presented to the media. He alleged that other armed fighters remained in the residences.
He accused the United Arab Emirates of arming opposition leaders and said recent talks hosted by the UAE were aimed at destabilising Somalia. He also alleged that forces linked to the regional administrations of Puntland and Jubaland had been brought to Mogadishu and armed inside opposition leaders’ homes.
Fiqi rejected reports that the government was preparing a military operation to disarm and arrest opposition leaders, accusing them instead of provoking security agencies.
The dispute comes amid mounting tensions between Somalia’s federal government and opposition figures, with residents fearing the standoff could escalate into a wider conflict.
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