Saturday May 30, 2026
Baidoa (HOL) — Heavy fighting broke out Saturday morning on the outskirts of Baidoa between federal government forces and fighters loyal to former Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, officials said.
The fighting occurred near Baidoa, the interim capital of Southwest State. Casualty figures have not been independently confirmed, though videos circulating on social media appeared to show wounded soldiers.
“This morning, their bodies and injuries are everywhere, and we are still recovering them,” Duushisho said.
He did not say whether federal government forces suffered casualties.
The Haramac Special Police Force said on its Facebook page that it captured a military vehicle during the clash and that Baidoa was calm after the fighting.
The Somali National Army command said government forces had repelled the attack and inflicted heavy losses on the opposing side in personnel and equipment. It said official casualty figures would be released after verification was completed.
A spokesman for Laftagareen’s Southwest regional administration, Ugaas Hassan, claimed in a brief Facebook post that Southwest Dervish forces had taken control of Baidoa. Hiiraan Online could not independently verify the claim.
The renewed fighting underscores the continuing instability in Southwest State, where federal forces and allied troops entered Baidoa on March 30, 2026, and took control of much of the city after removing Laftagareen’s administration.
Since then, forces loyal to the former regional president have continued to challenge the federal-backed administration, raising concerns that the political dispute could escalate into a wider armed confrontation.
Baidoa remains a key political and military hub in southern Somalia, where tensions over regional leadership, federal influence and election disputes have deepened in recent months.
