Friday September 26, 2025
Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, flanked by opposition figures, speaks to reporters in Mogadishu on Sept. 26, 2025, after the brief detention and release of three prominent opposition-linked individuals.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali security forces briefly detained three opposition-linked figures in Mogadishu late Thursday before releasing them hours later, opposition leaders said Friday, escalating tensions ahead of a protest planned for the capital.
Former Minister of Religious Affairs Omar Ali Rooble and businessmen Ali Haji Iman and Bulaale were arrested near the Global Hotel, where Iman resides. The three men are close to opposition politicians and had openly criticized the government’s handling of a disputed land case in the Siinaay neighbourhood, a controversy that has fueled unrest in Mogadishu in recent weeks.
The detentions came a day after gunfire erupted inside Wardhiigley police station, where opposition figures had gathered. The incidents reinforced accusations from opposition leaders that the government is applying pressure to halt the planned demonstration on Saturday.
The federal government has rejected the protest, calling it a threat to national security. Some reports suggested the arrests were preplanned to suppress dissent, though authorities have not issued an explanation for the detentions.
Members of parliament intervened late Thursday to secure the release of all three men. Protest organizers said the demonstration would proceed as scheduled and urged the public and international community to monitor what they described as violations of free speech and the right to peaceful assembly.