BAIDOA, Somalia — September 3, 2026 — At least 12 people were reported killed and nine civilians injured in heavy fighting in Baidoa on Thursday between forces loyal to Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen and federal troops backing Sheikh Aden Madobe’s administration, as the struggle over South West State’s leadership brought renewed clashes into residential neighbourhoods.
Baidoa Regional Hospital confirmed that two civilians were killed and nine others injured. Separately, a senior security officer told Baidoa Online that he had personally seen more than 10 soldiers killed during the fighting.
The reported military deaths involved soldiers from both sides, although no breakdown was provided. The officer’s account suggests the overall death toll could exceed the preliminary figure of 12 when the hospital-confirmed civilian deaths are included.
The military casualty figure has not been independently verified. No confirmed count of wounded soldiers was available in the information provided for this update.
Fighters Enter Neighbourhoods Before Retreating
Clashes were reported in Alfaras, Boonkaay and Al-Ahmar after Laftagareen-aligned forces attacked positions held by federal troops and fighters supporting Madobe’s administration.
According to reports from the fighting, Laftagareen’s forces entered parts of Baidoa before retreating. The available accounts did not establish how far they withdrew or identify their positions after the clashes.
Their reported withdrawal leaves unanswered whether the offensive produced any lasting territorial gains. No independently verified account established that government facilities changed hands.
Earlier on Thursday, Ugaas Hassan, spokesman for the Laftagareen-aligned Darawish forces, announced an offensive aimed at taking Baidoa.
Hassan called on opposing federal soldiers to surrender and urged residents to remain indoors. He also instructed his fighters to exercise restraint and avoid harming civilians.
A senior commander from Laftagareen’s camp claimed that his forces captured three armed vehicles belonging to troops supporting Madobe. That claim remains unverified, and the available information did not establish what happened to the vehicles after the reported retreat.
Civilian Deaths, Fires and Power Outages
The hospital’s confirmation of civilian casualties provides the clearest attributed assessment of the fighting’s impact on residents. It remains separate from the security officer’s account of soldiers killed.
The information supplied did not identify the civilians, describe the severity of the nine injuries or establish the circumstances in which they were struck.
Electricity outages affected parts of Baidoa, while fires were reported in residential areas during the clashes. The cause of the fires and the extent of damage to homes were not established.
No response from federal military authorities or Madobe’s administration addressing the latest casualty figures, the reported withdrawal or the vehicle-capture claim was available for this update.
Thursday’s confrontation follows earlier fighting between the rival camps over control of Baidoa and authority in South West State.
Madobe’s administration is based in the city and receives support from federal government forces. Laftagareen leads a competing camp whose fighters have operated mainly outside the regional capital. Both sides claim authority to govern the state.