Opposition leaders have accused security forces of targeting political opponents

lashes erupted in Somalia's capital Mogadishu for a second consecutive day on Thursday, as security forces and opposition supporters exchanged fire ahead of a planned anti-government rally.  

Residents reported heavy gunfire, explosions, and civilians fleeing affected neighborhoods, while no official casualty figures were immediately released. 

Former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire accused government forces of attacking opposition representatives in Mogadishu on Wednesday. In a post on X, Khaire claimed President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had ordered security forces to target opposition gatherings. 

"We are under attack. For the second time in less than 24 hours, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has directed armed forces against our peaceful gatherings," Khaire wrote.  

The authorities rejected the allegations, insisting security forces were responding to coordinated armed attacks that threatened the city's stability. 

"The incidents were not the organization of peaceful public demonstrations, but rather coordinated armed acts that directly threatened the security, order and stability of the capital," AP reported the police as saying. 

Fighting eased later on Thursday after mediation efforts involving Somalia's intelligence chief and Khaire reportedly produced an agreement to halt hostilities.  

The rally was intended to protest what opposition leaders describe as constitutional violations and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's alleged efforts to extend his grip on power. Tensions escalated after Mohamud announced in May that he would remain in office until May 2027, a move that critics say undermines Somalia's political process. 

READ MORE: Somalia slams breakaway region's push for embassy in Israel

The UN expressed concern over the unrest. "The Secretary General is alarmed about the reports of violence in Mogadishu and underscores the urgent need for all stakeholders to resume talks to identify a way forward to avoid reversing the progress seen in Somalia to date, as well as ensuring the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure," the UN secretary-general's spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said on Thursday.