Mogadishu returns to relative calm after brief period of violence

Fighting in Mogadishu Subsides, but Opposition Remains Unconvinced

A two-day period of violence in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, has come to an end, with government forces declaring that order has been restored in the districts of Abdiaziz and Hawlwadag. The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism stated that opposition group militias have been disarmed and removed, allowing civilians to return to their daily lives.

The violence, which began on Wednesday, was sparked by a dispute over President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term. The president claims that parliament lawfully extended his term, while the opposition argues that it was a power grab. Both sides blamed each other for the initial outbreak of fighting.