...GUNFIRE ROCKS BAIDOA! 🇸🇴

BAIDOA, Somalia — Heavy fighting has erupted in the Somali city of Baidoa after forces loyal to former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen launched attacks on positions held by troops aligned with Somalia’s federal government.

The clashes, reported on September 28, 2026, have raised fresh concerns over the security situation in the strategic South West State capital, where political tensions between the federal authorities and supporters of the former regional leader have repeatedly spilled into armed confrontation. 

Local reports said fighting broke out around several military positions, with residents hearing explosions and sustained gunfire as the opposing forces engaged each other.

The latest confrontation comes after a series of clashes in and around Baidoa in recent months involving federal forces and fighters associated with Laftagareen. Similar fighting in August resulted in dozens of casualties, including civilians, according to hospital officials and international media reports. 

The political dispute has centred on control of South West State and the legitimacy of its leadership. Somalia's federal forces took control of Baidoa in March, after which Laftagareen announced his resignation. His supporters, however, have continued to challenge the political transition and maintain an armed presence in the region. 

The renewed violence is particularly concerning for civilians in Baidoa, a major urban centre that also hosts large numbers of people displaced by Somalia's prolonged conflict and humanitarian crises.

Casualty figures from the latest fighting have not yet been independently confirmed, and details about the extent of the clashes and the areas controlled by either side remain fluid.

The confrontation also adds to a broader security challenge in Somalia, where political disputes and armed insurgency have continued to overlap. Analysts have previously warned that prolonged political tensions between federal authorities and regional actors can create additional security vulnerabilities. 

Authorities and residents are expected to provide further information as the situation develops.

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