BAIDOA, Somalia — October 3, 2026 — Civilians continued to leave Baidoa in large numbers on Saturday amid fears of renewed fighting, as rival forces were reported to be reinforcing their positions, including with drones.
A photograph taken in the city today shows residents leaving Baidoa. The number of people who have fled and where they are going were not immediately known. Reports of new reinforcements and drones had not been independently confirmed.
The current standoff grew out of a dispute between Somalia’s federal government and South West State leader Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen over the region’s leadership and electoral process. In March, Laftagareen’s administration broke ties with Mogadishu amid disagreements over federal political and constitutional changes. Federal troops took control of Baidoa on March 30, and Laftagareen announced his resignation before leaving the city.
The leadership dispute has continued since then. Madobe’s administration operates from Baidoa with federal government backing. Laftagareen and his supporters say he remains the legitimate leader of South West State and reject the rival administration’s authority.
Baidoa has seen repeated fighting in recent months. On Sept. 28, clashes were reported between forces backing Madobe and fighters loyal to Laftagareen, following reports that Laftagareen-aligned forces had moved closer to areas around the city.
Earlier, on Sept. 3, fighting prompted residents to flee their homes. baidoa online reported that a local hospital treated 72 wounded people, including 18 women, and that three civilian had died, citing the hospital’s emergency department chief.
In August, federal troops and opposition forces loyal to Laftagareen also clashed in Baidoa. At least four civilians were killed and 98 wounded, according to a local hospital official cited by the baidoa online , Federal forces later regained control of the city.
The latest reports of reinforcements have added to residents’ concerns after those clashes. It was not immediately clear how many people had left on Saturday, how many troops had arrived or whether the reported drones were being used in operations.
No casualty figures were available for the latest developments. There was also no immediate public statement from either side addressing the reports of reinforcements or drones.
Baidoa hosts many people displaced by conflict and drought. Continued fighting could further disrupt residents’ movement and access to services, while renewed displacement would add pressure on families already living away from their homes.
The security situation remained unclear on Saturday as civilians continued to leave and reports of military movements circulated.