Somalia's military repels armed attack in Baidoa amid political tensions

Explosions and gunfire occurred in Baidoa as armed groups attacked during political tensions in South West State. Somalia's military reported that it repelled an attack by two armed groups in Baidoa, the largest city in the South West State. In a statement posted on X, Somalia's Defence Ministry indicated that militias loyal to ousted Governor Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen initiated the attack early on Thursday morning. The ministry stated, "The attack began with explosions intended to terrorise civilians, but the army said it responded bravely and inflicted a heavy defeat on the attackers." Several states in Somalia are opposed to the control of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is also facing a long-running rebellion by the armed group al-Shabab, which controls significant areas of central Somalia. In March, the government deployed troops to oust Laftagareen, who attempted to retake the state in May and engaged in battles with federal forces for control of Baidoa in August. The fighting on Thursday lasted for several hours, with witnesses reporting gunfire and explosions throughout the town, prompting residents to stay indoors. A spokesperson for the pro-Laftagareen forces claimed they had captured parts of the city and that fighting was ongoing. However, several residents reported that Baidoa was calm after six hours of battles. The Defence Ministry stated it was investigating the number of fighters killed during the attack and would release details once the assessment was completed. The ministry also accused the armed groups of collaborating with "al-Shabab terrorists." Laftagareen opposed President Mohamud's efforts to transition Somalia towards democratic elections, moving away from a system based on clan elders.