MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – At least four people have been confirmed dead following heavy clashes erupt in Mogadishu on Tuesday in Wadajir district of Mogadishu over alleged land grabbing.
Eyewitnesses told Kaab TV that the fighting started after police forces attempted to seize land located in the Tarbuush neighborhood of Wadajir district, clashing with another group composed of clan militias and military personnel already present at the site.
Abdirahman Mohamed, who said he lives near the area where the fighting erupted, reported that the police forces arrived early in the morning with bulldozers and heavy machinery.
“Armed forces with bulldozers came to the area while people were still asleep. They opened fire on the other forces that were already there,” he said.
Abdirahman added that residents were sheltering inside their homes and described the fighting as intense, with heavy gunfire ongoing.
It remains unclear whether civilians are among the casualties or the full extent of the damage inflicted on the population.
Land grabbing has been rampant in Mogadishu over the past two years, allegedly orchestrated by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and members of his family.
Premier Bank, which is linked to the president’s family and members of his administration, has also been accused of involvement in the illegal sale of public land, much of which is designated for community use and, by law, should not be privately owned.
Opposition politicians, including former leaders of the Federal Government of Somalia, have previously warned against the land grabbing.
As of now, the Somali government has not issued a statement regarding today’s fighting in Mogadishu.