Gunfire erupts in Mogadishu before protests against Somali president’s rule

Key points

• E Somali PM Khaire accuses government forces of attacking him before planned antigovernment protests in Mogadishu.
• Heavy gunfire has broken out in central Mogadishu as Somalia’s former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire says he has been attacked by government forces before planned protests.
• “An attack was launched against us by forces commanded by the president whose term has expired,” Khaire said in a social media post on Wednesday, adding they had been preparing for a “peaceful demonstration” the following day.
• President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud “bears full responsibility for today’s violent attack on our consultative meeting”, he said.
• Somalia has fallen into yet another political crisis after Mohamud announced that his term had been extended for a year after it was due to expire on May 15. The opposition and regional leaders have rejected the move and demonstrations were due to take place on Thursday.