Somalia’s opposition supporters and security forces clashed in the capital, Mogadishu, on Thursday for a second day ahead of a planned anti-government demonstration.
No official casualty figures were immediately available from the clashes that prompted calls for restraint from the United Nations and the United States as the government and opposition traded blame for the violence.
Residents reported heavy gunfire and explosions as fighting broke out in several neighborhoods Wednesday.
“We heard heavy weapons fire, and people were fleeing their homes,” said Abdullahi Mohamed, who lives in the city’s Howlwadaag district. “Many families left the area looking for safer places.”
The clashes underscore growing political tensions as disputes over Somalia’s elections and the constitution have increasingly strained relations between the government and opposition leaders. Somalia is also fighting al-Shabab militants while seeking to strengthen state institutions with support from international partners.
Several buildings were hit by heavy gunfire and mortar
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