Baidoa — From February 4-6, heavy fighting erupted in Baidoa, the capital of the Somalia’s South-West State, resulting in widespread loss of life and property. This was the most severe conflict since the beginning of the year, rooted in a long-simmering political dispute related to the regional elections and a controversy over the term extension of the current leadership.
Causes of the Confrontation
The conflict stemmed from several interconnected issues that had destabilized the region for months. A central point of contention was an electoral dispute between the administration of President Abdi-Aziz Hassan Mohamed “Laftagareen” and a coalition of opposition candidates, who opposed the delay in the scheduled presidential election.
The opposition viewed the term extension granted to President Laftagareen as illegal, a move that led to militias allied with both sides positioning themselves against each other within the city. Beneath these political tensions lay a deeper struggle over power sharing and control of the regional administration’s resources.
How the Clashes Unfolded
The fighting began on Wednesday, February 4, when militiamen led by Abdirahman Nishow—a former federal soldier allied with Parliament Speaker Adan Madoobe—attacked South-West State forces at a World Bank-funded construction site for the Ministry of Livestock. The land was also claimed by an illegal arms dealer named Ma’alin Abdow.
The South-West administration reported that the clashes lasted two days. On Thursday, the fighting intensified after militiamen loyal to Federal Minister Hassan Eelay joined the attack. By Thursday afternoon, South-West forces had expelled the militants from the city.
Fifteen people, including combatants and civilians, were reportedly killed in the fighting. The Baidoa district administration also reported that about ten civilians, including children, were wounded by gunfire. The violence followed the collapse of dialogue aimed at resolving the political dispute.
Who Was Blamed for Starting the Conflict?
Responsibility for igniting the conflict was a point of contention among the various political actors in South-West State, with the main allegations falling along these lines:
The Opposition: The opposition coalition, the Somalia Future Council, stated that the South-West State security forces used excessive force in their response. They ultimately placed responsibility on the federal government, urging it to intervene to uphold the constitutional order and de-escalate the situation.
Federal Officials: Members of both houses of the Federal Parliament representing South-West State directly accused the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) of being responsible for starting the fighting. They pointed to the mobilization of forces from the residence of Minister Hassan Eelay as evidence of the federal government’s involvement.
South-West Administration: In contrast, Minister of Information Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal blamed “thugs” and militias for the violence, accusing them of trying to destabilize the city’s security. This characterization implicitly included forces loyal to both Nishow and Eelay.
Conclusion
The conflict in Baidoa highlighted the deep-seated political rivalries in South-West State, which have now spilled over into armed violence affecting civilians. With each side trading accusations, it remains unclear who bears direct responsibility for the bloodshed. The region remained in a tense security situation as efforts were made to resolve the crisis through dialogue.
