Somali opposition protest Farmajo's second term

Somalia's president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, best known by his nickname Farmajo, has faced harsh criticism at home and from foreign allies after signing a law earlier this month extending his mandate by two years.

Somali opposition fighters took up positions in parts of the tense capital on Monday, a day after clashes with government troops erupted over the president's bid to extend his mandate.

Earlier Sunday, protesters took to the streets in north Mogadishu condemning the term extension. Heavily armed soldiers were on patrol alongside the protesters as they shouted chants against Farmajo, witnesses said.

Somalia, recovering from decades of civil war, is facing its worst political crisis in recent years after the failure to hold planned elections in February.

The crisis in Somalia has led to increasing dismay from the country's foreign backers, who have called on Farmajo to return to dialogue with leaders of the country's five federal states over the holding of elections.

The federal government and opposition leaders have been at odds over an April 12 decision by the lower house of parliament to extend the mandate of the current federal government for another two years after elections talks collapsed. The Somali president signed a resolution extending his mandate into law the following day.