Clashes in Baidoa as Laftagareen forces return

Thousands of fighters loyal to ousted South West leader Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen entered Baidoa on September 28, 2026, triggering heavy fighting with Somalia's federal army. Witnesses reported jets and drones overhead. Mogadishu sent troops to remove Laftagareen in March, and control of the southwestern city is still disputed.