A pre-dawn attack on Baidoa, the capital city of South West State region, has been thwarted by Somali federal forces, with control remaining over the strategic city amidst rising tensions between Somalia’s federal government and regional leadership.
The attack on Thursday, September 3, comes months after Somalia’s federal military took control of Baidoa, demonstrating the ongoing tensions surrounding South West State leadership, regional independence and the Somali electoral process.
Who Is Fighting for Control of Baidoa?
The fight for control of the strategic city centers around Somali federal military forces and troops who follow former South West State leader Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen.
With the assistance of forces from the present South West government administration, federal forces continue to occupy Baidoa. The government has blamed the militia forces associated with Laftagareen for organizing the recent attack aimed at challenging the federal government.
On the other hand, the loyalists of Laftagareen have been opposing the increasing dominance of the federal government in the administration of South West State, thereby making Baidoa an important center of political conflict in Somalia.
Importance of Baidoa
Among the strategically important cities in Somalia, Baidoa is one of them. It is the administrative capital of South West State and lies in a region which has been continuously subjected to attacks by Al-Shabaab.
The importance of the city is attributed to the fact that Baidoa has many displaced individuals due to drought and conflicts. In addition, there may be political implications to the battle as Baidoa continues to be the center of the conflict.
The Somali federal government has been trying to centralize its authority and introduce a new election system.
Al-Shabaab Provides an Additional Layer to the Conflict
The most recent clash also has a security angle to it.
The Somalia Defence Ministry claims that militias linked to Laftagareen are cooperating with Al-Shabaab militants, even though the political parties involved have been in disagreement with some of the details put forward by the government.
This is important because Al-Shabaab is one of Somalia’s most pressing security concerns, and it has been known to take advantage of political rifts between the federal government and local administrations before.
What Lies Ahead?
Federal troops are set to continue to deploy heightened security in Baidoa after the attack, while casualties and damage are being evaluated.
However, the more pressing issue lies in whether the clash will provoke additional clashes between forces from Mogadishu and South West State.
For the civilians, another bout of fighting would disrupt humanitarian aid in a city that is already struggling.
Conclusion
The Baidoa assault is not just another security matter. It is also an indicator of Somalia’s inability to come to terms with the issue of federalism.
Even though the government has managed to maintain its hold on the town so far, any subsequent political dispute could lead to even greater problems and enable Al-Shabaab to capitalize on the rift.
FAQs
Who attacked Baidoa?
According to Somalia’s Defense Ministry, the militia groups supporting the former South West State governor, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, carried out the attack.
Who is controlling Baidoa now?
Baidoa continues to be controlled by the Somali Federal forces and South West State forces.
What is the significance of Baidoa?
It is the capital of the South West State and one of the humanitarian centers housing many displaced people from Somalia.
Does Al-Shabaab have anything to do with the fighting?
The Somali government accuses the Laftagareen-supported militia of working together with Al-Shabaab.
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