A livestock market in Baidoa, Somalia (file). Photo: Mayow2020 via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
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Renewed fighting hits Baidoa as ousted governor’s forces attack.
Armed men attacked Baidoa, the largest city in Somalia's South West State, early on Thursday morning, setting off hours of gunfire and explosions across several neighbourhoods, including Alfaras, Boonkaay and Al-Ahmar.
Somalia's Defence Ministry blamed the assault on militias loyal to Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, the state's former president, and said the fighters were "operating alongside al-Shabab terrorists." Federal troops and forces loyal to South West State's new leader, Sheikh Aden Madobe, repelled the attack after about six hours of fighting.
The ministry said it was still assessing casualties and would release figures once the assessment was complete. Power was cut in parts of the city and fires broke out in residential areas. Laftagareen's fighters claimed to have seized three armed vehicles, a claim that could not be independently verified.
A wider power struggle
Laftagareen was removed from office in March after federal troops took control of Baidoa. He tried and failed to retake power in May and again in August. Madobe later won the South West presidency with backing from President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is pushing regional states towards direct elections instead of the traditional clan-elder system, a change several states have resisted.
Analysts warn the infighting diverts troops and resources from the wider fight against al-Shabab, which still controls large rural areas nearby.
Sources: Al Jazeera; Garowe Online
That was a Kibra News Network report, read by an A I voice.
Armed men attacked Baidoa, the largest city in Somalia’s South West State, early on Thursday morning, setting off hours of gunfire and explosions across several neighbourhoods, including Alfaras, Boonkaay and Al-Ahmar.
Somalia’s Defence Ministry blamed the assault on militias loyal to Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, the state’s former president, and said the fighters were “operating alongside al-Shabab terrorists.” Federal troops and forces loyal to South West State’s new leader, Sheikh Aden Madobe, repelled the attack after about six hours of fighting.
The ministry said it was still assessing casualties and would release figures once the assessment was complete. Power was cut in parts of the city and fires broke out in residential areas. Laftagareen’s fighters claimed to have seized three armed vehicles, a claim that could not be independently verified.
A wider power struggle
Laftagareen was removed from office in March after federal troops took control of Baidoa. He tried and failed to retake power in May and again in August. Madobe later won the South West presidency with backing from President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is pushing regional states towards direct elections instead of the traditional clan-elder system, a change several states have resisted.
Analysts warn the infighting diverts troops and resources from the wider fight against al-Shabab, which still controls large rural areas nearby.
KNN Newsroom is the staff byline for stories written, rewritten and edited at the Kibra News Network desk. Where a story credits an outside outlet, the original source is linked at the foot of the piece.
