Somali Troops Push Opposition Fighters Out of Baidoa After Fierce Clashes

Somali federal troops have driven armed opposition fighters out of Baidoa following hours of intense fighting in the city on Monday, in a major escalation of tensions between Somalia’s federal government and regional forces.

Baidoa, the administrative capital of Somalia’s South West state and one of the country’s largest cities, was shaken by heavy gunfire and explosions as federal forces clashed with fighters loyal to former South West state president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. Residents told Reuters that the fighting was among the fiercest seen in the city since federal troops seized control in March.

The fighting reportedly began before dawn after opposition fighters entered Baidoa from two directions. Somalia’s Defence Ministry said federal troops came under attack from fighters using vehicles loaded with explosives and subsequently pushed the attackers out of the city.

The ministry claimed about 30 opposition fighters were killed during the operation. However, the figure could not be independently verified.

Residents gave a different account of the casualties. Local elder Farah Ibrahim told Reuters he had seen about 10 dead people, including four civilians and six soldiers from both sides. Other reports said at least 20 people were wounded.

The clashes forced residents to remain indoors as bullets reportedly entered homes and businesses.

A federal army officer, Captain Osman Abdullahi, said the armed opposition had attacked Baidoa and that government troops were pushing them back.

Videos verified by Reuters showed federal soldiers firing from an armoured vehicle, while civilians were seen carrying wounded people through the streets.

Laftagareen’s camp initially claimed its forces had entered and captured parts of central Baidoa. The group later became difficult to reach for comment, while communications disruptions in the city complicated efforts to independently establish the situation on tthe ground.

The confrontation is rooted in a growing political dispute between Somalia’s federal authorities in Mogadishu and regional leaders who oppose what they see as excessive central government control.

Laftagareen’s administration previously broke ties with the federal government before he resigned from office. Federal forces subsequently took control of Baidoa in March.

Regional authorities have also rejected proposed constitutional changes and criticised Mogadishu’s influence over state-level elections. The latest violence therefore adds a new security dimension to an already tense political struggle.

The fighting also comes as Somalia continues its long-running battle against al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda-linked militant group that remains active across parts of the country.

The renewed violence is particularly worrying for Baidoa, which hosts hundreds of thousands of people displaced by conflict and hunger elsewhere in Somalia.

The humanitarian situation is already extremely fragile. A July survey by Médecins Sans Frontières found that roughly one in four children at displacement sites in Baidoa was severely malnourished, according to Reuters.

Aid agencies and international organisations operating in the city now face additional security concerns as authorities attempt to restore calm.

For now, Somali federal authorities say their troops have regained control of Baidoa, but the competing claims from the opposing camp underline the volatility of the situation and the possibility of further clashes.

The latest confrontation highlights the growing challenge facing Somalia’s federal government as it tries to consolidate political authority while simultaneously fighting an entrenched insurgency and addressing a severe humanitarian crisis.