Somali federal troops have driven armed groups out of the administrative capital of the country’s South West State following hours of fierce fighting that killed 30 attackers, the Defense Ministry has said.
The ministry said the assault began at around 5 AM local time on Monday, when Al-Shabaab militants and fighters aligned with former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen attacked military positions in Baidoa using two explosives-laden vehicles.
“Thirty members of the militias that carried out the attack were killed,” a ministry spokesman said in a video statement.
An unspecified number were captured, while weapons and vehicles were seized, he added. The spokesman accused Laftagareen’s fighters of coordinating with Al-Shabaab and said they would henceforth “be fought in the same manner as terrorist militias.”
The attack marked the latest escalation in a power struggle between Mogadishu and Laftagareen, whose disputed reelection in March prompted federal troops to seize Baidoa and force him to resign. Forces loyal to him have reportedly remained active outside the city.
Laftagareen’s office rejected descriptions of his forces as an armed group as “false propaganda.” It said the operation was intended to restore order and remove what it called an unlawful federal military presence.
The new Mogadishu-backed South West administration, led by former federal parliament speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe, said regional and federal troops have repelled the attackers and secured Baidoa.
Four residents also confirmed to Reuters that federal troops have regained control of the city after several hours of fighting. Local elder Farah Ibrahim told the news agency that he saw ten bodies at one location, including four civilians and six soldiers from the opposing sides.
Tensions between Mogadishu and the South West regional authorities have persisted since March, when Laftagareen’s administration severed ties with the federal government over constitutional changes and elections. Days later, Mogadishu rejected his reelection as illegal and declared his administration “no longer valid.”
Federal troops entered Baidoa on March 30 to address what the government described as political instability created by “the former administration.” Laftagareen subsequently announced his resignation.
Baidoa is one of Somalia’s most sensitive political centers, serving as a base for federal forces, peacekeepers, and humanitarian operations. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) estimates that the city is home to 1.6 million people, nearly half of whom are displaced, with many having fled conflict and climate shocks elsewhere in Somalia.