The Himilo Qaran Party, Somalia’s main opposition party, has issued a strong condemnation of the actions taken against young people peacefully celebrating South West Flag Day in Mogadishu on Tuesday night.
The party criticized the use of excessive force, calling it “a violation of citizens’ rights and a direct threat to freedom.”
The incident has drawn attention to ongoing concerns over civil rights in Somalia, with opposition leaders and rights advocates urging the government to respect citizens’ freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.
It is not yet clear why security agencies chose to apply force in dispersing youths who were generally peaceful while celebrating Southwest’s Flag Day.
However, some analysts believe the action could have been the result of the rising political differences and temperatures between the federal government and Jubbaland State.