Tensions remained high on Saturday morning in Buulo Eelaay, a neighborhood in Mogadishu’s Waberi district, after government security forces accompanied by bulldozers launched a large-scale demolition operation targeting residential homes.
Witnesses said heavily armed security personnel were deployed throughout the area while bulldozers moved into the neighborhood and began tearing down houses.
Roads and alleyways were reportedly secured by security forces as the operation continued, leaving many residents scrambling to remove their belongings before their homes were destroyed.
The demolitions have affected dozens of families, with many residents forced to flee their homes and seek alternative shelter.
Local residents reported scenes of panic as families loaded household items onto small vehicles and carts in an effort to save their possessions.
Women, children, and elderly residents were among those most affected by the operation.
Buulo Eelaay has long been one of several neighborhoods in Mogadishu where disputes over land ownership and property rights have fueled tensions between residents, private claimants, and authorities.
Similar demolition campaigns in other parts of the capital have previously sparked public outcry, accusations of forced evictions, and concerns over the lack of resettlement plans for displaced families.
Many of the affected households are low-income families who say they have lived in the area for years and lack the financial means to rent new homes or relocate elsewhere.
Humanitarian concerns have been raised over the growing number of families facing displacement amid rising living costs in the capital.
Despite the scale of the operation, authorities have not publicly provided a detailed explanation for the demolitions or identified the government institution responsible for ordering the action.
It also remains unclear whether residents were offered compensation, alternative housing, or legal avenues to challenge the demolitions before they were carried out.
The operation has reignited debate over land disputes, urban development, and housing rights in Mogadishu, where rapid expansion and competing land claims have frequently led to conflicts between authorities and local communities.
As of Saturday afternoon, security forces and bulldozers remained deployed in Buulo Eelaay, while residents continued to appeal for clarity regarding the future of the land and the fate of families displaced by the demolitions.
Local leaders and community members have called on authorities to provide transparent information and ensure that vulnerable families are not left homeless as a result of the operation.