Somalia: Laftagareen-Aligned Forces Seize Buurhakaba as Southwest Power Struggle Intensifies
BUURHAKABA, Somalia — A strategic town in Somalia’s Bay region has fallen to forces loyal to ousted Southwest State leader Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen after intense fighting with federal troops and forces backing the administration headed by Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe, officials said Thursday.
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The reported capture of Buurhakaba marks another major development in the contest for control of Southwest State. Laftagareen-aligned fighters have also seized Qansahdhere, another district in Bay, in recent days, increasing pressure on the administration established in Baidoa with support from Mogadishu.
Clashes erupted in Buurhakaba early Thursday, with residents describing heavy gunfire and explosions as Laftagareen’s forces attacked positions held by federal soldiers and regional units supporting Madobe. Local reports said the fighters later moved into parts of the town.
Hassan Abdi, a former spokesman for the Southwest administration who now supports Laftagareen, said in a video shared on social media that the forces had entered Buurhakaba and intended to stay. He called on residents to welcome the troops and said they would not target individuals.
The scale of the reported takeover and the number of casualties could not immediately be independently confirmed. Neither Somalia’s federal government nor Madobe’s administration had issued a public response by the time of publication.
Buurhakaba lies along the main road linking Mogadishu to Baidoa, the administrative capital of Southwest State. Its location makes control of the town important for the movement of security forces, commercial traffic and supplies between the two cities.
The reported advance came after Laftagareen-aligned forces announced earlier this month that they had taken Qansahdhere. The back-to-back developments suggest that supporters of the former leader are attempting to extend their reach beyond areas where they retained influence after his removal.
Federal forces ousted Laftagareen in March and took control of Baidoa amid a dispute over the leadership of Southwest State. Madobe later became head of the administration backed by Mogadishu, while Laftagareen’s supporters continued to oppose the transition through armed mobilization and recurring clashes.
The dispute has compounded political and security tensions across the region, where competing claims to authority have increasingly led to violence. The latest fighting has renewed concerns over the safety of civilians, particularly if hostilities move closer to Baidoa.
The situation remained fluid Thursday. It was not immediately clear whether federal-backed forces would mount a counteroffensive or whether Laftagareen-aligned troops would be able to consolidate their control of Buurhakaba.
AXADLETM
