international
Heavy gunfire in Somali capital as row over election delay escalates
Key takeaways
- President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term in office ended on 15 May but was extended by a year.
- Gunfire was reported in several neighbourhoods of the capital and persisted throughout the night, according to accounts by residents.
- Police said they were conducting a "large-scale security operation" against "heavily armed militias who launched mortar attacks" in some areas.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Abdishukri Haybe,BBC Somaliand Basillioh Rukanga AFP via Getty Images Fighting continued overnight after breaking out on Wednesday evening Government forces and opposition fighters have exchanged heavy gunfire in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, as a row over delays to elections has escalated.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term in office ended on 15 May but was extended by a year. The opposition said this was unconstitutional and called for protests on Thursday.
Gunfire was reported in several neighbourhoods of the capital and persisted throughout the night, according to accounts by residents.
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