MOGADISHU — Somali Police in Mogadishu have arrested several youths accused of disrupting security checkpoints and engaging in violence, authorities said Friday, as opposition figures condemned the detentions as politically motivated amid rising tensions in the Somali capital.
The Banadir Regional Police Command said the suspects were detained in security-sensitive areas after allegedly carrying out acts that threatened public safety, stability and freedom of movement in Mogadishu.
Police said preliminary investigations were ongoing and that the detainees would be referred to court, adding that security agencies were still pursuing others allegedly linked to the incidents.
Authorities also warned against what they described as “organized actions against the security and stability of the capital,” saying unauthorized demonstrations and gatherings without prior approval from security agencies were prohibited under existing security procedures.
Opposition politician and lawmaker Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame strongly criticized the arrests, saying the government was targeting young people for peacefully expressing political views.
He said at least six youths had been detained for taking part in what he described as a peaceful protest in Mogadishu, while claiming that a total of 15 young people had been arrested by the administration of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
“The arrests of youth for peacefully expressing their views reflect the growing fear of the Hassan Sheikh regime regarding the awakening and voice of Somali youth,” Abdishakur said.
He called for the immediate release of the detainees and urged the government to halt what he described as politically motivated arrests and intimidation.
The arrests come as political tensions deepen in Mogadishu following the collapse of recent talks between the federal government and opposition leaders over elections, constitutional amendments and Somalia’s political transition.
