President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term in office ended on 15 May but was extended by a year. The opposition said this was unconstitutional and called for protests on Thursday. Gunfire was reported in several neighborhoods of the capital and persisted throughout the night, according to accounts by residents. Police said they were conducting a "large-scale security operation" against "heavily armed militias who launched mortar attacks" in some areas. Somalia last held a one-person, one-vote election in 1969 and has been ravaged by civil war for more than thirty years. Former prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire said he had been attacked by government forces while he and other leaders were preparing for Thursday's "peaceful" demonstrations. "The responsibility for any casualties or damage resulting from this incident lies with the president whose term has expired," he said on X. "This attack is a grave assault on the constitutional rights of Somali citizens and a deliberate attempt to suppress peaceful assembly”, he added. (BBC)