Violence Erupts in Mogadishu as Residents Protest Demolition of Homes in Tookiyo Neighbourhood

MOGADISHU — Nearly 10 people have been injured in clashes between government forces and residents protesting the demolition of homes in the Tookiyo neighbourhood of Mogadishu’s Yaqshiid district, according to local reports.

Residents staged a protest against security forces after being informed that their homes would be demolished on land that the government claims as public property. Social media images showed injured young people being treated at Mogadishu hospitals.

The incident is the latest in a series of evictions and demolitions that have escalated tensions in the capital, with residents increasingly resisting government operations they describe as land grabs and forced displacement.

Escalating Land Crisis and Forced Evictions

The Tookiyo demolitions follow growing unrest over forced evictions in other parts of Mogadishu. In August 2026, families in the Wabari district took to the streets to protest forced evictions, with demonstrators criticising President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and accusing Turkey of supporting what they described as a “bloody hand” in Somalia. Somali government forces used live ammunition against residents resisting eviction from their homes, according to reports. “We have nowhere to go. We are civilians. We are being robbed,” a woman said while protesting the forced evictions in Wabari .

Heavy fighting also erupted in the capital when rival security factions clashed over government attempts to demolish the Warlaliska neighbourhood in the Daynile district. The area is home to thousands of low-income families, many of whom depend on daily income from the Bakaro market. Witnesses reported heavily armed forces entering the neighbourhood with bulldozers and attempting to demolish houses while some residents remained inside, refusing evacuation orders .

Tensions have risen in the Siliga Towfiiq area of Yaqshiid district, where dozens of families have staged protests against what they describe as systematic land grabs by powerful business interests. Residents accuse individuals of fraudulently selling off their homes and plots of land, leaving many households without shelter .

A Somali internet service provider, SOON, has accused members of the presidential guard of raiding and demolishing its main network hub in Mogadishu’s Bondhere district, escalating concerns over alleged land seizures near the presidential palace. Parliamentarian Qali Shire is said to be claiming the property, raising questions about the involvement of powerful figures in contested land cases around Villa Somalia .

Political Warnings and Calls for Accountability

Former President and opposition leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has issued a stark warning that the country’s fragile statehood is “on the brink of collapse” due to what he called rampant and unlawful land seizures by politically connected elites. Speaking during a meeting with residents recently displaced from their homes, Sharif accused influential businessmen and well-placed officials of orchestrating widespread land grabs across the capital and beyond, describing the practice as “a dangerous betrayal of the public trust” that undermines stability .

MP Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame has previously warned that forced evictions in Mogadishu could fuel extremism, saying the government’s actions risk creating a humanitarian and security catastrophe. “This isn’t just about homelessness; it’s about national security,” Abdishakur said, warning that the government’s campaign was “handing Al-Shabaab a powerful recruitment tool on a silver platter.” He emphasised that when citizens are stripped of their homes, dignity, and livelihoods without due process, the resulting despair becomes fertile ground for extremist groups seeking to exploit grievances .

The Union of Somali Islamic Scholars Councils has also called on the federal government to halt actions that deprive citizens of their property rights, urging President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, the Banadir regional administration, and relevant government institutions to independently investigate the complaints and hold accountable anyone found to have abused their authority .

The government has pledged to enhance assistance for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), with Minister of Interior Ali Yusuf Ali (Hosh) stating the government’s commitment to supporting displaced families. The United Nations has warned that more than 142,000 internally displaced people have been forcibly evicted from temporary shelters since the start of 2025, with the majority of those evictions taking place in urban settlements across Mogadishu, Baidoa, and Kismayo .

Critical Note

The Tookiyo demolitions represent another escalation in the growing crisis over land governance in Mogadishu. The use of force against residents protesting the destruction of their homes reflects a troubling pattern of governance failure that undermines the rule of law and public trust. The government’s stated justification, that the land is public property, raises questions about the transparency of land administration and the protection of citizens’ property rights.

The pattern of forced evictions, demolitions, and violent clashes in Wabari, Yaqshiid, and Daynile demonstrates that these are not isolated incidents but part of a broader crisis. The allegations of politically connected land grabs, the involvement of security forces in evictions, and the targeting of opposition figures suggest that the problem extends beyond individual cases to systemic governance failures.

The government must immediately halt all demolition operations pending a transparent review of land claims and establish a fair mechanism for resolving disputes. Without urgent action to address the grievances of affected communities, the cycle of violence, displacement, and instability is likely to continue. The international community must press for accountability and the protection of property rights, recognizing that land disputes are not merely local grievances but threats to Somalia’s long-term stability.