Fighting in southwestern Somalia kills dozens of people, including 4 civilians

Mogadishu, Somalia (AP) — Intense clashes between government forces and militias in southwestern Somalia's city of Baidoa resulted in the deaths of at least four civilians and 98 others injured, a hospital official reported on Tuesday. The fighting erupted early Monday when militia groups assaulted government positions on the outskirts of the city, which is home to over half a million internally displaced persons.

Somali officials claimed that 30 attackers were killed, but did not provide a definitive count for government troops. Dr. Abdikafi Omar Mohamud, head of the emergencies department at Bay Regional Hospital in Baidoa, stated that the violence also left at least four civilians dead and 98 injured, including 28 women and an elderly man who was shot in the leg by stray bullets.

The ongoing conflict further strained the already overburdened healthcare system in Baidoa, as the hospital had only 40 beds available and set up an emergency tent to cope with the influx of wounded. Security forces returned Baidoa to relative calm on Tuesday, with troops patrolling key streets and inspecting damaged buildings and vehicles.

Residents cautiously emerged from their homes, though a significant military presence remained in critical areas. The violence started around 5 a.m. on Monday following two explosions near a military base east of Baidoa, followed by heavy fighting near another base in Bonkay, south of the city. Armed men then entered Baidoa and engaged in combat with government forces.

Fighters loyal to former South West state President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen reportedly displaced the new administration's troops from parts of Baidoa for approximately six hours before being pushed out. Local security analyst Samira Gaid of Balqiis Insights suggested that the attacks could have been coordinated between Laftagareen's forces and al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked extremist group.

Both the Somali federal government and South West state authorities claimed that the attackers were affiliated with Laftagareen-aligned militias and al-Shabab fighters. The government reported that nearly 30 attackers were killed and several others captured, while South West authorities asserted that around 50 attackers were killed.

The discrepancy in figures and the lack of independent verification made it difficult to ascertain the exact number of casualties. South West Internal Security Minister Isak Mohamed Korsaar stated that government troops recovered al-Shabab fighters' bodies and captured others alive. He acknowledged that the militias involved were accompanied by al-Shabab.

The fighting followed months of tension over Baidoa's leadership and electoral process. The federal government rejected Laftagareen's disputed re-election in March, leading to his resignation. Troops took control of Baidoa on March 30, prompting Laftagareen to announce his resignation. Analyst Gaid warned that such political disputes often create opportunities for extremist groups to exploit, as civilians bear the brunt of the resulting violence.