Somalia repels armed assault on Baidoa amid regional political tensions

Explosions and gunfire rock Baidoa as armed groups strike during South West State’s political tensions.

Civilians gather as smoke billows from a shop hit by artillery following clashes between Somalia's federal troops and armed opposition groups, in Baidoa, Somalia, August 17, 2026 [Reuters]

Somalia’s military says it has repelled an attack by two armed groups in Baidoa, the largest city in Somalia’s South West State.

In a statement posted on X, Somalia’s Defence Ministry said “militias” loyal to ousted Governor Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen launched the attack early on Thursday morning.

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“The attack began with explosions intended to terrorise civilians, but the army said it responded bravely and inflicted a heavy defeat on the attackers,” the ministry said in a statement.

Several states in the deeply fragmented country are opposed to control by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who also faces a long-running rebellion by the armed group al-Shabab, which controls vast swathes of central Somalia.

In March, the government sent in troops to oust Laftagareen.

He launched a failed attempt to retake the state in May, and in August his forces fought federal forces for control of Baidoa.

The fighting on Thursday lasted for several hours. Witnesses told AFP that gunfire and explosions could be heard in different parts of the town, forcing residents to remain indoors.

A spokesperson for the pro-Laftagareen forces told AFP that they had captured parts of the city and that fighting was ongoing.

However, several residents told AFP that Baidoa was calm after six hours of battles.

The Defence Ministry said it was investigating the number of fighters killed during the attack and would release details “once the assessment has been completed”.

The ministry also accused the armed groups of operating alongside “al-Shabab terrorists”.

Laftagareen was among the opponents of President Mohamud’s attempts to move Somalia towards democratic elections, replacing a system based around clan elders.

西南州政治局势紧张，武装团体发动袭击，拜多阿地区爆炸声和枪声四起。

2026年8月17日，索马里拜多阿，索马里联邦军队与武装反对派团体发生冲突后，一家商店遭到炮击，浓烟滚滚，平民聚集在现场。[路透社]

索马里军方称，已击退两个武装团体在索马里西南州最大城市拜多阿的袭击。

索马里国防部在 X 上发表声明称，效忠于被罢黜的州长阿卜杜勒阿齐兹·哈桑·穆罕默德·拉夫塔加林的“民兵”于周四清晨发动了袭击。

列表 1/3：索马里军队与反叛武装为争夺重要城市拜多阿的控制权而发生的冲突

列表 2/3：邦特兰部队占领索马里加尔卡约的政府军营地

3/3 索马里青年党伏击杀害五名肯尼亚安全人员

“袭击开始时发生了旨在恐吓平民的爆炸，但军方表示，他们英勇反击，并给予袭击者沉重打击，”国防部在一份声明中说。

在这个高度分裂的国家中，有好几个州都反对总统哈桑·谢赫·马哈茂德的统治，而总统哈桑·谢赫·马哈茂德还面临着武装组织青年党的长期叛乱，该组织控制着索马里中部的大片地区。

3月，政府派兵驱逐了拉夫塔加林。

5 月，他发动了一次夺回该州的失败尝试；8 月，他的部队与联邦军队争夺拜多阿的控制权。

周四的战斗持续了数小时。目击者告诉法新社，镇上不同地方都能听到枪声和爆炸声，迫使居民待在室内。

拉夫塔加林亲军的一位发言人告诉法新社，他们已经占领了该市的部分地区，战斗仍在继续。

然而，几位居民告诉法新社，经过六个小时的战斗，拜多阿已经恢复平静。

国防部表示，正在调查袭击中丧生的武装人员人数，并将在“评估完成后”公布详情。

该部还指责这些武装团体与“青年党恐怖分子”一起行动。

拉夫塔加林是反对穆罕默德总统推动索马里走向民主选举、取代以氏族长老为基础的制度的人士之一。