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Baidoa fighting erupts as Somali militias clash with federal forces
Violent clashes erupted in Baidoa, the capital of Somalia’s South West State, on Thursday morning as forces loyal to ousted Governor Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen launched an assault on federal government positions.
The Somali Defence Ministry reported that the attack began around 4:15 am with explosions intended to cause panic. The ministry accused the militias of operating alongside al-Shabab militants, though Laftagareen’s camp denied any cooperation with the extremist group, claiming the operation was a planned move to challenge the current administration.
Casualty reports vary across sources. One medical official at Bay Regional Hospital reported 71 wounded and one civilian death, while another report cited 24 wounded and one death. Other accounts from the hospital mentioned two civilian deaths and nine injuries. The fighting caused electricity outages and fires in residential neighborhoods like Al-Faras, Boonkaay, and Al-Ahmar.
The conflict is part of a long-standing political struggle between the federal government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and regional leaders like Laftagareen over the control of South West State and proposed constitutional reforms.
Entities
Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen · Al-Shabab · Baidoa · Hassan Sheikh Mohamud · Somali Ministry of Defense · South West State · South West State
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 5 SOURCES] The attacking militias were operating alongside al-Shabab terrorists. www.impact.sn · kulu-media.com · somaliatoday.com · srnnews.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Forces loyal to Abdiaziz Laftagareen denied any involvement with al-Shabab. somaliatoday.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Laftagareen’s forces claimed to have captured three armed vehicles from government troops. thesomalidigest.com · horseedmedia.net
- [DISPUTED] Baidoa Regional Hospital confirmed two civilian deaths and nine injuries. thesomalidigest.com
- [● 8 SOURCES] Militias loyal to former South West State Governor Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen launched an attack on Baidoa. www.impact.sn · kulu-media.com · shabellemedia.com · somaliatoday.com · thesomalidigest.com · +2 more
- [DISPUTED] Bay Regional Hospital received 71 wounded people and one civilian death. kulu-media.com
- [DISPUTED] Bay Regional Hospital received 24 wounded people and one dead civilian. srnnews.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Two fighters from Laftagareen’s side were killed and five were wounded. somaliatoday.com