# Somalia Political Crisis Escalates After President Targets Chief Justice President Mohamud faces accusations of deploying troops to arrest the Supreme Court's chief justice. - **Source:** [The New Arab](https://www.newarab.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-05 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/b7846939-30d4-453a-b4db-5e129ae8f8e2 ## Judiciary Declares Extension Unlawful The Supreme Court of Somalia ruled on Thursday that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term extension was unconstitutional. The tribunal declared that the president should have vacated his office in May. The court mandated that political parties reach a new agreement within 30 days and hold national elections within 90 days. ## Presidential Retaliation and Dismissal Following the ruling, President Mohamud announced the dismissal of Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed via Facebook. The president cited concerns regarding the need for an efficient judiciary as the reason for this sudden removal. The court immediately responded, asserting that the president lacks the legal authority to fire the chief justice. ## Military Deployment at Court Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire reported that the president deployed troops to the Supreme Court premises on Thursday. Reports suggest that the chief justice and various lawyers are being pursued for arrest. Images circulating in Somali media appear to show military forces stationed within the court compound, halting all operations. ## Opposition Claims of Power Grab Political opponents argue that the president’s reforms are a calculated power grab. Many opposition and regional parties boycotted the March parliamentary vote on constitutional amendments, claiming they were barred from participating. These factions believe the transition period was designed solely to extend Mohamud's stay in office beyond his legal mandate. ## Broader Security and Insurgency This political instability occurs while Somalia battles the Al-Qaeda-linked group Al-Shabaab, which controls significant portions of the country. The government is currently struggling to maintain international support for its military operations. The ongoing internal chaos severely undermines the state's capacity to address the persistent threat posed by these powerful Islamist insurgents. ## International Funding Cuts International donors are increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress against militants and the persistent political turmoil. Consequently, funding for the long-running international military mission is being slashed. Uganda, the largest contributor to the African Union force, recently announced it will withdraw all its troops from the country by late 2027. ## Logistical Support Withdrawal The United States has cut all donations to a critical United Nations logistics mission that supports the military coalition. This withdrawal of financial and logistical backing places the security mission in a precarious position. The loss of these resources further complicates the government's ability to stabilize the nation during this volatile period. ## Threat to Constitutional Order The dismantling of the judiciary represents a direct threat to the rule of law in Somalia. As the country stands at a dangerous juncture, calls for society to defend constitutionalism are growing. The combination of judicial interference and declining international military support creates a high risk of further fragmentation and instability. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.newarab.com/news/chaos-somalia-president-accused-arresting-chief-justice — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._