MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s armed forces repelled an attack on the southwestern city of Baidoa early Thursday, the federal government said, describing the assailants as an “alliance of terrorists.”
In a statement, the government said its forces confronted the attackers at dawn after the assault began with explosions that it said were intended to spread fear among civilians.
The Somali armed forces responded to the attack and inflicted heavy losses on the fighters who launched the assault, the government said, without providing figures for casualties.
“The assessment to establish the losses suffered by the attacking militias is currently underway,” the statement said.
The government said it would provide further official details to the public once the assessment had been completed.
The statement did not give details on the number of forces involved, the weapons used or whether the attackers had managed to seize any positions during the fighting.
Baidoa, the administrative capital of Somalia’s South West State, has been the scene of heightened political and security tensions between the federal government and forces loyal to former South West State president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen.
The clashes came amid a broader dispute over political authority and the leadership of South West State, with rival sides mobilising forces around Baidoa.
Earlier reports said Laftagareen-aligned fighters had entered parts of the city before later withdrawing towards its outskirts after several hours of fighting.
The extent of the clashes and the casualties among government forces, Laftagareen-aligned fighters and civilians remained unclear.
Baidoa has also witnessed growing tensions over Somalia’s political transition and the relationship between the federal government and regional administrations.
The federal government has previously faced disputes with several federal member states over elections, constitutional changes and the distribution of political and security powers.
Thursday’s fighting risks further worsening tensions in South West State, where political disagreements have increasingly taken on a security dimension.
The government did not say whether further clashes were expected or whether the security situation in Baidoa had fully stabilised.
Independent verification of the government’s account and the reported casualties was not immediately available.
