BAIDOA , Somalia — Sept 28, 2026 - Heavy fighting was reported in Baidoa on Monday, particularly in the Cunaay neighborhood, after an official aligned with Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen said his forces had attacked federal government positions in the city.

Ugaas Hassan, an information minister aligned with Laftagareen, said in a Facebook post that Southwest State Darawish forces launched an offensive early Monday against federal positions at Afbalaar and Salbalaar. He urged residents of Baidoa to remain inside their homes.

“Southwest State Darawish forces attacked this morning the positions of federal forces stationed at Afbalaar and Salbalaar in Baidoa,” Hassan wrote.

The account could not be independently confirmed. There was no immediate information about casualties, damage or how long the fighting lasted. Federal government officials had not immediately commented on the reported attack.

The post did not give further details about the forces involved or the circumstances that led to the assault. It also did not say whether the fighting had ended or whether residents had begun returning to the affected areas.

The reported clashes took place amid a continuing dispute between Laftagareen’s supporters and the federal government over political authority and control of Southwest State. The conflict has repeatedly brought armed groups into confrontation around Baidoa, the regional capital.

Federal forces took control of Baidoa in March, after which Laftagareen resigned from the presidency of Southwest State. His supporters have continued to oppose the federal government’s role in the region, and armed clashes have since been reported in and around the city.

On August 17, federal troops and forces loyal to Laftagareen fought in Baidoa. Reuters reported that federal forces later pushed the opposition fighters from the city. The fighting was among the most serious reported there since federal forces took control in March.

Clashes were also reported on the outskirts of Baidoa in early September. The Associated Press reported that residents fled their homes amid gunfire. Bay Regional Hospital said it had treated 71 wounded people and received one civilian who later died.

Monday’s report renewed concerns about the risk of further fighting in a city that has experienced repeated clashes between federal forces and Laftagareen-aligned fighters. The latest information available came from Hassan’s Facebook post; the status of the fighting and its effect on residents remained unclear.