By Asma Mohamud - Reporter
Somalia, 10 June 2026 Somali lawmaker Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame of the opposition Somali Salvation Forum said talks with a Turkish delegation focused on political dialogue and security de-escalation as opposition figures dispute President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s legitimacy.
Abdirahman Abdishakur made the remarks in a press statement on Tuesday night after a meeting of the Somali Salvation Forum in Mogadishu.
“We discussed the agenda of the talks, what the format would be and how the ongoing talks could be coordinated with earlier efforts,” Abdirahman Abdishakur said, adding that the meetings “ended positively” and would continue.
He said the opposition maintained its position that the mandate of the federal government had expired and that President Mohamud no longer had the legitimacy to lead the country.
Apart from Turkish officials, Abdishakur also said opposition representatives have also held discussion with representatives from United States, Britain, the European Union and the United Nations.
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He said those meetings focused on aligning international efforts with the Turkish-led talks and on the opposition’s position regarding Somalia’s political situation.
The lawmaker called for security de-escalation before any formal political dialogue begins, saying military movements, searches in homes of opposition politicians should stop.
He also called for a halt to elections he described as having predetermined outcomes, including the South West State presidential vote expected to take place in Baidoa today.
“An election whose result is already known cannot be called an election,” he said.
His remarks come amid continuing political tensions in Somalia following recent clashes in Mogadishu and international efforts to bring Somali political actors back to dialogue.