BAIDOA: Two senior Somali National Army commanders were killed in a roadside ambush outside Baidoa on Thursday, an incident that has deepened political and security tensions in South West State amid a bitter dispute over recent regional elections. Colonel Yonis Adam, commander of the 8th Brigade, and Colonel Ali Yonis, commander of the 9th Brigade of the 60th Division, lost their lives when their convoy came under attack outside the city.
Initial government statements attributed the attack to Al‑Shabaab, but the militant group has not yet released any claim of responsibility. The targeted assassinations have fueled widespread speculation, occurring just hours after forces aligned with former South West State president Abdiaziz Laftagareen reportedly conducted a military operation in the same area earlier that morning.
In a press release issued on Friday, the Federal Government’s Ministry of Defence described the incident differently. It stated that the Somali National Army carried out a “planned operation” on the outskirts of Baidoa following an ambush by “combined groups of peace‑rejecters and Kharijites” against government forces. According to the ministry, the operation resulted in the deaths of 50 individuals, including Al‑Shabaab fighters and armed militias supporting them. The army also destroyed battle vehicles and military equipment, the statement added.
The Ministry of Defence specifically accused militias loyal to former president Abdiaziz Laftagareen of having “directly integrated with the Al‑Shabaab Kharijites.” It claimed that the ambush involved these militias and that the Kharijites’ responsibility for the attack demonstrated that such groups have “become a wing serving terrorists” and pose a threat to national security and the stability of South West regions. The ministry extended condolences to the families of the two colonels and to the Somali National Army.
The military confrontation takes place against a backdrop of an escalating political crisis within South West State. The federal government had previously rejected the re‑election of Abdiazis Laftagareen in March, describing it as an “illegal pseudo‑election.” Following federal forces’ entry into Baidoa, Laftagareen resigned and left for Nairobi. The National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) recently declared that the Justice and Social Party (JSP), led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, had secured victory in the South West State parliamentary elections. Opposition candidates, including former regional president Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden and Ilyas Ali Nur, have strongly rejected the outcomes, citing allegations of electoral fraud and accusing the federal government of using force to manipulate the process.
The opposition Somali Future Council has previously warned of a political crisis as election deadlines approach, and the situation in Baidoa remains highly volatile. While the city’s streets are calm, residents describe an extremely tense environment. Federal government forces and armed groups loyal to the former regional administration are reportedly in a precarious standoff across several neighborhoods and on the city’s outskirts. The federal government has stated it will not tolerate anyone who uses weapons or militias for political interests or to disrupt security, and that legal action will be taken against anyone who assists extremist groups.
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