BAIDOA, Somalia – The security forces of Somalia’s Southwest regional state carried out an operation in the vicinity of the strategic city of Baidoa following a tip-off from residents.
The hawk-eyed Darwish forces managed to seize a car packed with explosives while en route to Baidoa to conduct a suicide attack in the interim capital of Southwest State.
Southwest State’s Intelligence Agency said in a statement that the operation came after receiving information about the Al-Shabaab attack plot on the outskirts of the town.
The authorities beefed up security in Baidoa after Al-Shabaab fighters came around the city and imposed a blockade that impacted the businesses and caused skyrocketing inflation.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh said Southwest State will be among the regions, where the SNA will carry out an operation as part of the planned 2nd phase of the military offensive.
Since last year, the Somali government forces along with local community fighters pushed Al-Shabaab out of dozens of areas and towns in Galmudug and HirShabelle states.
Despite losing ground, the Al-Qaeda-linked group continues to stage attacks in the country and neighboring countries, including Kenya, which contributed troops to the AU mission.
