Heavy fighting erupted in Baidoa, Somalia, early Thursday as government forces clashed with militia loyal to former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen.
Residents reported intense gunfire around parts of the city, forcing some families to flee their neighbourhoods as the fighting intensified.
A doctor at Bay Regional Hospital told journalists that the facility had received 24 people injured in the clashes. One civilian was also reported killed.
Somalia’s Defence Ministry said government troops were responding to an attack on their positions by militia loyal to Laftagareen, with fighters from the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab also involved in the assault.
The latest clashes are part of an escalating political and security dispute between Somalia’s federal government and allies of Laftagareen over control of South West State.
Federal forces seized control of Baidoa in late March, following which Laftagareen stepped down from his position as president of the state.
The development has since heightened tensions between Mogadishu and Laftagareen’s supporters, with disputes over political authority and security arrangements continuing to threaten stability in the region.
Baidoa, located about 245 kilometres northwest of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, is a major population centre and humanitarian hub. The city hosts large numbers of people displaced from their homes by prolonged conflict and drought.
The latest violence has raised concerns over the safety of civilians in a city already struggling to cope with displacement and humanitarian needs.
Authorities have yet to provide a full account of the casualties or the extent of the damage caused by the fighting.
