Mogadishu, Somalia – Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has issued a scathing rebuke against the current administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, alleging a politically motivated campaign to suppress and possibly eliminate opposition leaders.
In a strongly worded statement, Sharif accused the government of launching what he described as “a brutal encirclement” of his political strongholds in Mogadishu using military combat vehicles. He further alleged that influential clan elders from his constituency were being “unlawfully targeted,” while security forces were being deployed to disarm political rivals under the guise of maintaining order.
“These disarmament steps, directed selectively at opposition figures, are not measures of national security but tools of political intimidation,” Sharif warned, cautioning that such tactics could “escalate into a scheme to assassinate opponents.”
The former President, who currently leads one of the country’s major opposition blocs, framed the alleged actions as part of a broader attempt by the government “to eliminate” dissenting voices ahead of upcoming political milestones.
There has been no immediate response from the Office of the President or the Ministry of Security regarding the accusations.
The claims come amid heightened political tensions in the capital, where opposition leaders have repeatedly criticized what they see as creeping authoritarianism within the administration. Analysts warn that if left unchecked, the standoff could inflame clan-based divisions and undermine fragile security gains.
Calls for dialogue and de-escalation are mounting, with civil society groups and traditional elders urging the government to clarify its security deployments and reaffirm its commitment to political pluralism.