By Nuh Mohamed - Reporter
Mogadishu (Dawan Africa) – The Banadir Regional Police Command said fighting in Mogadishu’s Howlwadaag district has ended after clashes that began yesterday and continued into this morning between forces loyal to former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and government troops.
Benadir Regional Police Commander Mahdi Omar Mumin told a press conference today that the Howlwadaag fighting was the first phase and had been concluded.
“This operation is phase one. Phase two remains, and that is Mirinaayo Vilage. We are heading there now, and it will be concluded,” Mumin said.
Clashes are ongoing in Mirinaayo Vilage between government forces and fighters loyal to former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
Police also displayed weapons they said were seized from forces they fought in Howlwadaag. The commander said security directives were not merely verbal orders, but commands followed by action.
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“Yesterday is not today; the words we say and the orders we give are not just spoken words, they are followed by action,” he said.
Mumin said it was no longer possible to use weapons to pursue political interests or power, warning other parties involved in armed actions.
“Those who understood are appreciated, because in 2026 it is not possible to seek anything through the gun; those who did not understand will be made to understand by force,” he added.
The fighting in Howlwadaag and Mirinaayo comes amid rising political and security tensions in Mogadishu, with different sides expressing concern over the impact the violence could have on the stability of the capital.