BAIDOA – Federal government troops, backed by armed groups aligned with opposition figures in Southwest State, entered Baidoa on Monday following heavy fighting with the Southwest regional state administration.
Residents reported intense gunfire on the outskirts of the city earlier in the day as rival forces battled for control of key positions in the interim administrative capital. Casualty figures remain unclear, and neither side has released official statements.
Footage shared on social media shows the newly appointed Bay Regional Police Commander, Sadiiq Doodishe, walking through neighborhoods in Baidoa alongside his troops. The videos also show Somalia’s Minister of Livestock, Hassan Hussein Eelaay—an opponent of Southwest President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen—entering the city with federal-aligned forces.
Somali National Television reported that security forces were conducting operations in Baidoa to stabilize the situation after clearing what it described as troops loyal to President Laftagareen.
The government also announced the reopening of the strategic road linking Baidoa and Daynuunay, which had recently been affected by clashes with the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabab.
Despite the advance of federal forces, President Laftagareen and senior officials from his administration remain inside the presidential palace in Baidoa. His spokesperson, Ugaas Hassan Abdi Mohamed, confirmed that the president was safe and was engaged in consultations with security officials.
“The president is fine and has no problems,” he said.
He also denied reports that Ethiopian troops serving under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) were guarding the airport or providing additional protection.
“They were already in control; there is no new security arrangement,” he added.
African Union forces, including Ethiopian contingents, have long been stationed in Baidoa and other major towns across Southwest State, where they secure key installations such as the airport and government facilities.
The fighting marks a dramatic escalation in a widening political crisis between Mogadishu and several federal member states, including Southwest, Puntland, and Jubbaland.
At the heart of the dispute are constitutional amendments approved by Somalia’s federal parliament extending the mandates of federal institutions from four to five years. The changes have been rejected by regional administrations and opposition groups, who argue that they undermine consensus and threaten Somalia’s fragile federal framework.
Tensions intensified further following elections in Baidoa this week, in which Laftagareen was reelected for another five-year term. The federal government rejected the results, prompting the deployment of troops to the city.
