Somalia repels armed assault on Baidoa amid regional political tensions
Somalia says its army has repelled an armed assault in Baidoa, the largest city in the country's South West State, after explosions and gunfire were reported early on Thursday. The attack came during a period of political tension in the region and lasted for several hours, according to accounts cited by the Defence Ministry and witnesses. Residents were reported to have stayed indoors as fighting spread across different parts of the town.
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In a statement posted on social media, the Defence Ministry said the assault was carried out by two armed groups and blamed militias loyal to ousted Governor Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. The ministry said the attack began with explosions intended to terrify civilians, before the army responded and inflicted a heavy defeat on the attackers. It also said it was still assessing the number of fighters killed and would release details once that assessment was complete.
Witnesses said gunfire and explosions could be heard in several parts of Baidoa, while a spokesperson for pro-Laftagareen forces told AFP that their fighters had captured parts of the city and that the battle was continuing. Other residents later said the city was calm after about six hours of fighting. The conflicting accounts underline how difficult it is to verify battlefield claims quickly in a fragmented security environment.
The violence matters because Baidoa is a major centre in South West State and a key location in Somalia's wider struggle over political authority and armed control. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's government faces opposition from several regional actors, while also contending with the long-running insurgency by al-Shabab, which controls large areas of central Somalia. The ministry accused the armed groups involved in Thursday's assault of operating alongside al-Shabab, linking the incident to the broader security challenge facing the federal government.
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The confrontation also fits into a series of clashes tied to the dispute over Laftagareen's removal. The government sent troops in March to oust him, he later made a failed attempt to retake the state in May, and his forces fought federal troops for control of Baidoa in August. Those earlier clashes show that the city has remained a flashpoint in the contest between federal authorities and local armed factions.
What remains unclear is the full scale of casualties, the extent of any damage, and whether the armed groups still hold any positions in or around the city. The Defence Ministry said it would publish casualty figures after completing its assessment, and that account has not yet been independently verified. The next developments to watch are whether the fighting resumes, whether federal forces consolidate control, and whether the dispute around Laftagareen triggers further unrest in South West State.
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