Somalia deploys elite forces around Mogadishu camp to avert rebellion as president’s term nears end
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s federal government on Friday deployed heavily armed, Turkish-trained Gorgor special forces around a military camp commanded by army officer Saney Abdulle, an opposition-aligned figure and relative of former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, in a move aimed at preempting a possible rebellion within the ranks as the incumbent president’s term ends next […]
Black News 
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s federal government on Friday deployed heavily armed, Turkish-trained Gorgor special forces around a military camp commanded by army officer Saney Abdulle, an opposition-aligned figure and relative of former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, in a move aimed at preempting a possible rebellion within the ranks as the incumbent president’s term ends next month.
The troops were positioned in Geed Timir area of the Gubadley neighborhood, north of Mogadishu, a location long controlled by forces loyal to the general. The camp is believed to house both fighters and substantial weaponry, fueling concern that Abdulle could send forces into the heart of Mogadishu to back the opposition and challenge the president’s hold on power when his term expires May 15.
At the same time, the federal government has set up entry checkpoints around the capital to screen army vehicles and restrict the movement of military units entering the city. The measures are intended to block forces from the two Shabelle regions, some of which are widely seen as likely to side with the opposition, from moving into Mogadishu.
President Mohamud had earlier ordered that army officers suspected of links to the opposition be disarmed and their influence curtailed. The directive has already affected dozens of officers, including several prominent figures who for decades have led operations against Al-Shabaab.
Abdulle was a central figure in a previous military standoff, when factions of the army left their bases in the Shabelle regions and drove armored vehicles and thousands of troops into Mogadishu in 2021. The show of force compelled then-President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo to reverse a controversial term extension approved by parliament.
That episode later spiraled into street clashes in the capital, with army factions split between those backing the opposition and those supporting Farmajo. Abdulle’s forces were widely regarded as the largest and most influential among the opposition-aligned units.
Now, with the president’s term nearing its expiration and parliament’s mandate having lapsed last week, Mohamud – once part of the opposition that mobilized Abdulle and his forces – appears increasingly wary of a similar threat. The latest deployments underscore a broader effort to deter unrest and secure his position during a tense political atmosphere.
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