Heavy gunfire and fighting wake Somalia’s capital overnight, with smoke rising over parts of the city and armed forces deployed on the streets on Thursday, according to reports from AFP journalists cited by France 24 and also covered by IOL. The violence occurs as clashes break out between rival political factions ahead of planned protests.
France 24 links the current unrest to a broader political crisis that began after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced a one-year extension of his term in mid-May, even though it was due to expire on 15 May. The extension decision is described as plunging Somalia into a fresh political dispute, with rival factions contesting the move.
Both sources describe gunfire and fighting in the capital and note the visible impact, including smoke, but they do not provide detailed casualty figures or specific locations in their supplied accounts. The reports present the developments as part of escalating political tensions ahead of demonstrations.
