MOGADISHU — Somali security agencies said Thursday that a large-scale operation is nearing completion in Mogadishu, targeting an armed group accused of launching mortar attacks on residential neighborhoods in the capital.
In a statement, security officials said the suspects were operating from areas inhabited by individuals accused of inciting unrest and organizing armed activities that have recently destabilized parts of the city.
Police said the mortar attacks posed a serious threat to civilians and that security forces were conducting operations to neutralize those responsible and anyone involved in activities deemed harmful to national security and stability.
Authorities rejected claims that the ongoing security measures were linked to peaceful demonstrations, insisting instead that they were responding to armed incidents and working to restore order.
Residents of Mogadishu were urged to remain vigilant, avoid areas where security operations are taking place, and cooperate with law enforcement agencies to help maintain security in the city.
However, police did not clarify whether the group being pursued was linked to opposition forces or whether other actors may have exploited the political tensions to carry out the mortar attacks.
Separately, the Somali Police Force displayed a cache of heavy weapons and military equipment that it said had been seized from opposition-aligned forces following intense clashes in parts of Mogadishu over the past several hours.
The seized equipment included various firearms and military vehicles, which security officials said were captured during operations against forces engaged in the fighting.
Government troops reportedly battled forces led by former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in confrontations that lasted for several hours.
The clashes caused casualties, although authorities have not yet released official figures on the number of people killed or injured.
Police said the operation was aimed at safeguarding security in the capital and that weapons and vehicles used in the fighting had been confiscated. Security officials added that investigations into the incidents were continuing.
Despite the violence, officials said the situation in Mogadishu had largely returned to calm, with security forces reinforcing their presence and maintaining heightened patrols in areas affected by the clashes.
