Government forces and residents clashed in Mogadishu on Sunday. The confrontation followed the Tookiyo demolitions in the capital’s Yaqshiid district. Nearly ten people were injured.
The operation began around midnight. Bulldozers and armed personnel moved into the neighbourhood to clear structures the federal government describes as illegally built on state land. Residents said they were given little warning before the demolitions started.
Families who have lived in the area for years pushed back against the demolition crews. The confrontation soon turned violent. Witnesses told Radio Dalsan that the operation began without adequate warning, and that this was what pushed angry residents to confront both the demolition team and the troops accompanying it.
Local hospitals in Mogadishu received those hurt in the Tookiyo demolitions. Officials have not confirmed the exact number of casualties or their current condition. Reports of deaths have also circulated, but these remain unverified for now, so this newsroom treats that detail with caution.
Residents argue that they hold legitimate claims to the land. They want the government to publish clear legal documentation before any further demolitions take place. One resident said families should not be removed without proper legal process. The Tookiyo demolitions, the resident added, should not continue until the government clarifies who actually owns the disputed land.
The Tookiyo demolitions are not an isolated case. Similar operations elsewhere in Mogadishu, including in Wabari, have triggered protests in recent months. The federal government has framed this wider push as an effort to reclaim public land. Officials say the land is needed for infrastructure and development projects.
Away from the capital, Somalia’s defence ministry has had to respond to a separate security matter this week. State Minister for Defence Omar Ali Abdi, quoted by Hiiraan Online, said on Saturday that the federal government is aware of military operations and shelling reported off the coast of Puntland. He added that a comprehensive report would be submitted.
Abdi said that if the strikes were carried out against pirate groups operating along Somalia’s coastline, only the federal government holds the legal authority to sanction such action. Puntland’s regional administration has demanded answers after accusing unnamed international warships of shelling areas near Garmaal. It says the shelling affected fishermen and damaged civilian property.
Both incidents point to a government under pressure on two fronts this week. It is managing the fallout from the Tookiyo demolitions at home while also accounting for military activity along the coastline. Neither matter has been resolved. Residents in Tookiyo say they intend to keep pressing for answers until the government clarifies its position on the disputed land.
