Key facts
- Federal troops and armed opposition groups clashed in Baidoa city center on Monday.
- Forces loyal to former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed “Laftagareen” entered Baidoa, challenging federal military battalions.
- The fighting escalated a political dispute between two competing administrations claiming legal authority over South West State.
- Telephone and internet services were disrupted across Baidoa.
- Civilian casualties were reported, with at least two injured civilians seen following an incident.
Heavy fighting erupted in Baidoa, Somalia, on Monday as federal troops clashed with forces loyal to former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed “Laftagareen.” The confrontation escalated a political dispute over control of the regional capital, with reports of disruptions to communication services and civilian casualties.
According to a local resident and an army officer, Laftagareen-aligned militias entered Baidoa from two sides, challenging federal military battalions. Video footage from the city center showed fighters exchanging fire, with sustained gunfire and explosions reported in residential areas. Reports indicated that Laftagareen's forces advanced into several locations within the city.
South West State is claimed by two competing political administrations: one based in Baidoa led by Sheikh Aden Madobe, supported by the Federal Government of Somalia, and the other led by Laftagareen. Monday's fighting marked a significant escalation, with Laftagareen's forces confronting federal troops inside densely populated sections of the city.
Telephone and internet services provided by Hormuud Telecom were disrupted across Baidoa as the fighting intensified. Civilian casualties were reported, with eyewitnesses seeing injured civilians. Security sources indicated that a rocket-propelled grenade struck a residential building, causing two homes to catch fire.
A spokesman for the Laftagareen-aligned administration called on rival fighters to surrender, using politically charged descriptions for the opposing forces. The Aden Madobe administration and the Federal Government of Somalia had not immediately issued a detailed response.