Baidoa (AX) — Hospitals in Baidoa have treated at least 148 people wounded in heavy fighting, offering the clearest indication so far of the violence’s toll, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Wednesday.
ICRC teams documented 106 wounded patients at two public hospitals and a further 42 at private facilities, Antoine Grand, the organization’s head of delegation in Somalia, said.
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“We are deeply concerned by the impact of fighting in urban areas following heavy clashes in Baidoa, Somalia,” Grand said.
The Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) evacuated wounded people during the clashes, while the ICRC continued coordinating with the organization to support those affected, Grand said.
“We urge all parties to take precautions to spare civilians,” he added.
The ICRC did not say how many people were killed or clarify whether those wounded were civilians or combatants.
The figures represent one of the most detailed early accounts of casualties from fighting that began Monday in and around Baidoa.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said Monday’s clashes also severely damaged a health facility, killed a healthcare worker and resulted in the looting of an ambulance. Two medical workers supporting MSF teams were robbed, and one of them was injured.
The latest violence was the third major outbreak of fighting in Baidoa since Aug. 17.
Following clashes on Aug. 17, MSF recorded 94 wounded people, among them 29 women and 20 children, as well as four deaths. Fighting resumed on Sept. 3, sending 71 wounded people to Bay Regional Hospital, including 15 women and 12 children; one person was reported killed.
Monday’s confrontation pitted forces loyal to former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen against federal and regional forces defending the administration in Baidoa.
Federal and regional authorities have accused forces aligned with Laftagareen of fighting alongside al-Shabab. Laftagareen’s group rejects any connection to the militant organization and says it is seeking to restore what it regards as South West State’s legitimate administration.
The rival claims about the fighting have not been independently verified.
The ICRC has maintained a permanent presence in Somalia since 1977. It works closely with the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) to deliver emergency medical aid and other assistance to communities affected by armed conflict and violence.
