NISA Accuses Sharif-Linked Militia of Provoking Armed Confrontation in Mogadishu

Somalia Review has reported that the opposition is planning an armed confrontation with government troops.

Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) has accused a militia of attacking its Civilian Guard forces in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, alleging that the armed group takes orders from former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

The accusations come days after Sharif’s reported return from the United Arab Emirates, drawing attention to his ties with Abu Dhabi and the conduct of militia NISA says operate under his direction.

In a statement issued on Sunday, NISA said the militia targeted security personnel operating in the First Branch of the General Daud section in the Wadajir district, Banadir region. The agency accused the armed men of attempting to provoke its forces into an armed confrontation.

According to NISA, evidence it gathered showed that gunmen carrying AK-47 rifles, PKM machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenades forcibly entered homes in the Tiintiinley neighborhood.

The agency said its Civilian Guard forces refrained from responding with weapons to prevent fighting and harm to civilians. NISA described the alleged actions as an attempt to draw security personnel into a confrontation in a residential area.

By accusing the militia of taking orders from Sharif, the agency placed the former president at the center of its allegations. The statement, as presented, did not detail the evidence supporting that alleged command relationship.

NISA also accused the militia of involvement in two earlier incidents targeting its personnel in the same section of the district.

On 24 June 2026, the agency said the militia attacked Civilian Guard forces and abducted a soldier who was on duty. NISA did not provide information in the supplied account about the soldier’s subsequent whereabouts.

Three days later, on 27 June, the agency said the militia again obstructed security operations by forces working in the General Daud section.

Together, the incidents describe what NISA alleges is repeated interference with its personnel and operations in Wadajir. The agency’s account links the latest confrontation to those earlier attacks.

Sharif’s relationship with the UAE and the opposition’s ties to Abu Dhabi form part of the political context surrounding his return. The UAE has reportedly promised financial assistance to the opposition if they continue to oppose President Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. This is allegedly the second attempt by Sharif and the opposition to provoke an armed conflict with the government. The first reportedly took place on June 4 this year.

The latest accusations put the focus on the armed group’s activities, its alleged leadership, and the safety of residents whose homes NISA says the gunmen entered.

No response from Sharif was included in the supplied material. NISA’s statement also did not specify whether anyone had been arrested following the latest incident or how the confrontation ended.

The agency maintained that its personnel exercised restraint to avoid an exchange of fire, placing civilian protection at the center of its explanation for withholding an armed response.