Outgoing leader Farmajo accused of staging "coup" in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Outgoing Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has been accused of "staging a coup" in the country following a deadly shooting pitting members of security forces and protestors who were allegedly armed during Friday's deadly demonstrations in Mogadishu.

Security forces used live bullets to disperse demonstrators who were protesting against delayed elections in the country. Somalia was supposed to go to elections from December last year but a lack of consensus among stakeholders has delayed the process.

Former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accused government troops of attacking Hotel Maida where he is staying along with his predecessor Sharif Sheikh Ahmed before Friday's rally which turned violent as both parties traded barbs over deteriorating security in the country.

"What transpired in Mogadishu last night and today is a coup orchestrated by the former president who turned down calls to lead the country to elections.

The FP and the militia commanders who have backed him in the coup will be held accountable for their actions and brought before justice," he said.

Former PM Hassan Ali Khaire, while reacting to the shooting on Friday, said he and several other candidates and MPs survived an “assassination attempt”. He accused President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo of triggering a constitutional crisis in the country.

But the Somali government accused “armed militias” of attacking positions of government troops in Mogadishu. The statement from the minister of security Hassan Hundubey Jimale said government troops defended themselves against the attack.

"The Federal Government of Somalia condemns the violence against members of the Somali Security Forces carried out by security personnel of the prospective presidential candidates on the night of 19th February 2021," the ministry further said.

GAROWE ONLINE