Somalia: Intense clashes in Baidoa as political tensions peak
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Heavy fighting erupted across Somalia’s Baidoa town on Saturday night as forces loyal to ousted Southwest State President Abdiasis Laftagaren clashed with federal government troops stationed in the town, sending residents scrambling for safety as gunfire and heavy weapons fire echoed through multiple neighborhoods. The clashes awoke residents from their sleep and […]
Black News 
MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Heavy fighting erupted across Somalia’s Baidoa town on Saturday night as forces loyal to ousted Southwest State President Abdiasis Laftagaren clashed with federal government troops stationed in the town, sending residents scrambling for safety as gunfire and heavy weapons fire echoed through multiple neighborhoods.
The clashes awoke residents from their sleep and triggered widespread panic across Baidoa, the interim capital of Somalia’s Southwest State, with fighting spreading through several parts of the town, including Bukriyey, Cunay, Xanano and Barwaqo neighborhoods.
The number of casualties among combatants and civilians was not immediately known.
The latest violence came just one day after outgoing Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud hosted a ceremony in Mogadishu congratulating outgoing Speaker of Parliament Adan Mohamed Nur on his election as president of Southwest State in the region’s recent presidential vote.
The election was boycotted by the opposition, which described the process as sham and rigged, arguing that the outcome had been predetermined and that the eventual winner had already been chosen before voting took place.
According to critics of the process, the election was directly controlled by the federal government. Madobe emerged as the sole candidate from the ruling party after receiving the backing of outgoing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who ordered rival candidates from the party to withdraw from the race.
Forces aligned with Laftagaren that launched the latest attack on Baidoa had been gathering near the town for weeks. Reports also emerged over recent weeks that the forces were targeted multiple times by Turkish air strikes.
Turkey played a significant role in the March offensive that led to Laftagaren’s removal from power. Turkish drones, helicopters and, at times, F-16 fighter jets supported military operations in which federal government forces seized control of Baidoa, the administrative seat of Southwest State.
The latest assault underscored the continuing volatility surrounding control of the region and highlighted the deep divisions that have persisted since Laftagaren’s ouster.
The latest assault was not the first time forces loyal to Laftagaren had attacked Baidoa. Last month, the ousted leader’s allies briefly seized the town during fighting that reportedly killed several soldiers, highlighting their continued ability to challenge federal government forces despite losing control of the regional capital.
The recurring clashes have transformed a city that once enjoyed relative security into a battleground involving three competing forces: Al-Shabaab, which maintains bases near Baidoa; federal government troops stationed inside the town; and forces loyal to Laftagaren operating from positions outside the city.
Speaking to the media weeks ago, Laftagaren vowed that fighting would continue until federal government forces were forced to leave Baidoa and return to Mogadishu, and until the region was fully restored to his ousted administration.
The worsening security situation in Baidoa has intensified debate over the federal government’s handling of disputes with regional administrations. Authorities in Mogadishu are now facing accusations of seeking to pursue similar approaches in Galmudug and Puntland while continuing to confront unrest stemming from the government’s forcible takeover of Baidoa.
The latest fighting highlights the deepening tensions surrounding Southwest State and raises fresh questions about the prospects for stability in one of Somalia’s most strategically important regional capitals as competing forces continue to vie for control of the region.
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