MOGADISHU, Somalia — October 20, 2026-Passenger vehicle bound for Baidoa reportedly struck an explosive device near Warmaxan as military tensions and disputes over political legitimacy deepen.

At least six people were reportedly killed when a passenger vehicle travelling to Baidoa struck a suspected landmine near Warmaxan in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region, according to preliminary accounts.

The reported explosion comes amid rival military movements around Wanlaweyn, adding to concerns about civilian safety along roads linking Mogadishu with communities in Lower Shabelle and Bay regions.

Initial information indicates that the vehicle was carrying passengers towards Baidoa when the blast occurred. The reported death toll has not been independently verified, and the available accounts do not establish how many passengers were aboard or whether others were injured.

Security sources cited in the preliminary reporting said mines had been planted in the area. However, the precise type of explosive device, when it was laid and who was responsible remain unconfirmed.

There is currently no verified evidence connecting the explosion to either of the forces reportedly moving through the area.

Reported movements towards Wanlaweyn

According to the initial accounts, federal government forces had attempted to move beyond Wanlaweyn before the explosion. Darawish forces were also reportedly advancing towards the town, although their positions, strength and operational objectives could not be independently established.

The reports do not confirm that Darawish units have entered Wanlaweyn or taken control of additional territory in Lower Shabelle. Military movements should therefore be distinguished from verified changes in territorial control.

The reported activity nevertheless comes against a wider backdrop of renewed fighting between federal-backed forces and fighters loyal to former South West State president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, commonly known as Laftagareen.

Reporting published on October 19 described Laftagareen-aligned forces taking several towns in Bay region, including Buurhakaba, Qansaxdheere, Berdale, Dinsoor and Awdiinle. The federally backed South West administration subsequently announced plans to recover the towns, beginning with Buurhakaba. Those developments concern Bay region and do not independently establish an advance into Wanlaweyn.

Political legitimacy disputes deepen

The military confrontation is unfolding alongside a broader dispute over political authority, constitutional changes and the relationship between Somalia’s federal government and regional administrations.

On March 17, Reuters reported that South West State had suspended cooperation with Mogadishu. Regional officials accused federal authorities of supporting militias and attempting to remove Laftagareen. Reuters said the federal defence and information ministers had not responded to its requests for comment at that time.

The national dispute also centres on constitutional amendments extending presidential and parliamentary terms from four years to five and moving elections to 2027, according to a June analysis by the HORN International Institute for Strategic Studies.

That analysis described competing positions: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government maintains that the changes provide legal authority to continue governing while preparing direct elections, while opposition figures reject the extension beyond the original presidential term ending in May 2026. These are contested political and constitutional claims, rather than an agreed assessment of legitimacy.

Against that background, reports of troop movements around Wanlaweyn carry significance beyond immediate battlefield positions. They raise questions about coordination between armed formations and the protection of civilians travelling through areas affected by competing security operations.

Previous explosions have killed civilian passengers

Somalia has experienced repeated incidents in which passenger vehicles have struck explosive devices on public roads.

On April 6, 2017, VOA reported that 20 people were killed when a minibus struck a landmine outside Golweyn in Lower Shabelle. The regional deputy governor said the vehicle had been travelling towards Marka and that only the driver survived. Officials suspected the device had been intended for African Union troops using the same road.

In another incident on October 22, 2017, six civilians were killed when an improvised explosive device struck a minibus at Daniga village. Lower Shabelle officials told VOA that the victims, two women and four men, were traders transporting agricultural produce from Afgoye towards Bal’ad.

The danger extends beyond Lower Shabelle. On April 14, 2021, AFP reported that 15 people were killed and four wounded when a minibus struck a landmine on the road between Mogadishu and Balcad. Somali officials blamed al-Shabaab for that attack. Responsibility attributed in previous cases does not establish responsibility for the latest reported Warmaxan explosion.

Persistent danger from explosive devices

Mine contamination and unexploded ordnance continue to cause civilian deaths long after individual clashes or military deployments.

Landmine Monitor recorded 67 casualties from mines and explosive remnants of war in Somalia during 2024, including 25 deaths. Civilians accounted for 61 casualties, including 29 children. The organisation cautions that insecurity and limited monitoring access mean some incidents may go unreported.