MOGADISHU— Tensions erupted on Sunday in Mogadishu’s Yaqshid district after federal security forces launched an operation in the Tookiyo neighbourhood, triggering protests and an exchange of gunfire with local residents.

Residents said the operation was linked to efforts to clear homes and properties in the area that authorities reportedly intend to reclaim for government use.

Witnesses told Raxanreeb that residents gathered to oppose the operation, prompting security forces to move in to disperse the protesters. The confrontation later escalated, with gunfire reported in the neighbourhood.

Local residents said several people were wounded during the unrest, although the number of casualties has not been independently verified. Federal authorities have yet to issue an official statement detailing the operation or confirming any deaths or injuries.

A video widely circulated on social media appears to show a member of the security forces opening fire towards a civilian during the confrontation. A distressed woman can be heard pleading with the officer not to shoot a young man she identifies as her son. Raxanreeb has not independently verified the circumstances surrounding the footage.

Residents accused the government of using force to remove families from disputed properties, arguing that some of those affected have legally occupied their homes for years and should not be displaced without due process.

The incident has heightened tensions in Yaqshid and renewed scrutiny over land disputes and eviction operations in Mogadishu, where competing claims over public and privately held property have repeatedly caused confrontations between authorities and local communities.

The federal government has not yet provided details on the legal basis for the operation, the status of the disputed properties or whether compensation or alternative arrangements have been offered to affected residents.

The situation in Tookiyo remained tense as security forces maintained a presence in the area.