Banadir police display weapons allegedly seized from former President-linked residence

Banadir regional police on Saturday displayed weapons and military vehicles they said were recovered from the Mirinaayo neighborhood of Abdiaziz district, where former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed had recently been staying. Banadir Regional Police Commander Col. Mahdi Omar Mumin told reporters that security forces seized 17 BKM machine guns, five RPG launchers, one sniper rifle, one PTM, 14 vehicles, an undisclosed number of AK-47 rifles and a large quantity of ammunition. Mahdi accused opposition groups of keeping the weapons as part of efforts to disrupt security in Mogadishu. “It was time to end the use of illegal weapons,” he said, adding that the federal government had decided to collect unauthorized weapons in the capital. The police commander said authorities had previously seized other weapons allegedly linked to forces loyal to former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire. He said the operation to recover illegal weapons would continue and urged individuals and groups still holding unauthorized arms to surrender them voluntarily. Mahdi also warned security officers and soldiers accused of siding with opposition groups, saying anyone involved in organizing insecurity or attacking government institutions would be prosecuted and brought before the courts. He called on political parties to express grievances through peaceful means and legal channels. The weapons display came after days of tension and armed clashes in Mogadishu between government forces and opposition-aligned groups. The fighting, which began near Dabka junction, spread into several districts and displaced thousands of families before easing. Opposition leaders have accused the federal government of using security operations to suppress political dissent and peaceful protest. Federal officials say the operations are necessary to restore order, remove illegal weapons and prevent armed groups from destabilizing the capital.