Heavy fighting has broken out on the outskirts of Baidoa after clashes between forces aligned with Somalia’s federal government and troops loyal to South West regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, residents and local sources say.
The fighting spread into several neighbourhoods of the town over recent hours, with both sides reportedly using heavy and light weapons.
Casualties, including deaths and injuries, have been reported, although exact figures remain unclear. Authorities in Somalia have not yet issued an official statement detailing the cause of the clashes or confirming casualty numbers.
The violence comes amid heightened political tensions in South West State following controversial local elections organised by the federal government under a one-person-one-vote system. Critics accused the authorities of pushing ahead with the process without broad political consensus.
The federal government is also expected to oversee the election process involving parliamentary speaker Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe, a move that has further deepened divisions among political actors in the region.
Forces loyal to Mr Laftagareen, who have reportedly been regrouping in recent weeks, say they intend to retake control of Baidoa, which they claim was seized through a military operation backed by the federal government.
Baidoa, the administrative capital of South West State, has long been a centre of political contestation between regional authorities and Mogadishu, with disputes over power-sharing and electoral control repeatedly fuelling instability.
There has been no immediate comment from federal officials or regional representatives on whether efforts are under way to de-escalate the fighting.
