MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Fighting between Somalia’s federal government forces and opposition-aligned militias erupted on the northern outskirts of Mogadishu on Saturday night, days after Western diplomatic pressure helped bring an end to deadly clashes inside the capital.
The latest confrontation took place near El Macaan village, north of Mogadishu, when Ma’awisley militias loyal to former Security Minister and businessman Abdullahi Mohamed Nur were reportedly ambushed along the road linking the capital to the Middle Shabelle region.
According to information from local media outlets, the militias were traveling in eight technical vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft guns after departing Mogadishu’s Gubadley neighborhood en route to Middle Shabelle. The movement reportedly followed intelligence that the federal government had deployed a stronger Turkish-trained elite force with orders to disarm them, prompting the group to leave the city.
Government forces, including Turkish-trained elite units, were reportedly deployed along the route and ambushed the convoy, triggering a fierce but brief gun battle.
Conflicting reports emerged following the fighting. Some local media outlets reported that the militias successfully reached the town of Adale, while others claimed federal forces seized several of their vehicles. Neither the opposition nor the federal government immediately confirmed the outcome of the confrontation.
The fighting came as Abdullahi Mohamed Nur accused federal government forces of raiding and seizing his upscale Elite Hotel in Mogadishu’s Abdiasis district earlier on Saturday.
In a statement posted on social media, Nur alleged that troops stormed the property carrying heavy weapons and explosives capable of breaking through reinforced concrete walls. He claimed the government intended to plant weapons inside the hotel before presenting them to the media as illegally stored arms, a move he said was designed to damage his reputation and justify the confiscation of his property.
The federal government did not immediately respond to Nur’s allegations.
Earlier on Saturday, federal authorities launched a disarmament operation in Abdiasis district, the same area where forces loyal to former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed fought federal troops during two days of clashes on Wednesday and Thursday.
Following the operation, government officials displayed a large cache of illegal weapons and military vehicles allegedly hidden by opposition figures in residential neighborhoods.
