Heavy Clashes Erupt on Baidoa Outskirts Amid Somalia Political Tensions
Security officials in Baidoa said a number of prisoners were taken during the fighting. No official casualty toll has been released, but local sources said the clashes left several people dead and others wounded on both sides.
BAIDOA, Somalia — Intense fighting flared Monday on the outskirts of Baidoa, where Southwest State security forces battled troops from the Federal Government of Somalia backed by armed militias, according to officials and witnesses, in the latest sign that the region’s political standoff is deepening.
The confrontation unfolded in the peri-urban belt around the city and involved both light and heavy weaponry. Southwest State media said its regional forces pushed back what it described as an attempt by “armed groups” to force their way into Baidoa, adding that the attackers were tied to political opposition figures challenging the current regional leadership.
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Security officials in Baidoa said a number of prisoners were taken during the fighting. No official casualty toll has been released, but local sources said the clashes left several people dead and others wounded on both sides.
By Monday noon, regional forces were carrying out what they described as “mopping-up” operations in rural areas as they pursued retreating pro-government militias.
Within Baidoa, the administrative capital of Southwest State, tension remained high. Security measures were tightened across the city, with extra checkpoints set up and troops deployed around major government sites.
The violence comes as ties between the federal authorities in Mogadishu and the Southwest State administration deteriorate further. The two sides remain at an impasse over a disputed election process and wider disagreements over control of regional security.
The Federal Government of Somalia had not issued a formal response to the fighting by Monday, nor had it addressed claims that its forces took part in the assault.
AXADLETM