Somalia’s military has successfully repelled an armed assault launched by opposition militias in the key South Western city of Baidoa, according to reports from Al Jazeera and Reuters.
The Ministry of Defence announced on Thursday that the attack began early in the morning with a series of explosions designed to spread panic among local civilians. According to government statements, the armed groups involved were loyal to ousted South West State Governor Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. Security forces responded swiftly, engaging the attackers and inflicting heavy defeats following hours of intense urban combat.
Tensions between Somalia’s federal government and several regional states have escalated significantly under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration. The central government’s ongoing push to transition the nation toward direct democratic elections, moving away from traditional clan-based power structures, has faced stiff regional resistance. Concurrently, the government continues to battle the al-Shabab armed group, which maintains a strong presence across vast areas of central and southern Somalia.
Political friction in South West State peaked earlier this year when federal troops were deployed in March to oust Governor Laftagareen. Subsequent attempts by his loyalists to retake regional control led to armed skirmishes in May and August, culminating in Thursday’s major escalation in Baidoa.
Local residents reported hearing heavy gunfire and multiple explosions echoing across various neighbourhoods, prompting civilians to shelter indoors while the fighting raged for several hours. While a spokesperson representing the pro-Laftagareen factions claimed their forces managed to capture parts of the city during ongoing skirmishes, local witnesses confirmed that relative calm returned to Baidoa after approximately six hours of active clashes.
The Defence Ministry stated that formal casualty assessments regarding the number of fallen fighters are currently under way and that comprehensive figures will be published once investigations conclude. Furthermore, federal authorities accused the rebellious factions of coordinating alongside al-Shabab elements during the assault.
