Forces Loyal to Ousted South West State Leader Laftagareen Take Towns Around Baidoa, Somalia
Forces loyal to Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, the ousted president of Somalia’s South West State, have taken a string of towns in Bay region, including Buurhakaba on the main Mogadishu–Baidoa road, AFP and Somali outlets reported on 17 October 2026. The regional administration backed by the federal government has vowed to retake them.
What has happened
According to Hiiraan Online, which cited residents, Laftagareen’s “Darawish” forces took Qansaxdheere earlier in October and seized Buurhakaba after heavy fighting on Thursday 15 October. They then entered Berdaale, Diinsoor and Awdiinle after government-aligned troops withdrew. Garowe Online reported the Buurhakaba fighting the same day, saying Laftagareen’s forces attacked positions held by federal troops and forces loyal to the current regional administration.
On 17 October AFP quoted military officials as saying Laftagareen’s forces held Berdale, Dinsoor, Buurhakaba, Qansaxdheere and Awdiinle, the last of them roughly 30 kilometres from Baidoa, the state capital. AFP said this left the local government and its allies without control of most of the state. Apart from Buurhakaba, the takeovers were largely without fighting, both AFP and Hiiraan reported. Casualty figures have not been independently verified.
What each side says
In statements reported by Hiiraan and AFP, Laftagareen’s office said the operations were meant “to ensure security, restore stability, and uphold law and order”, and praised its forces for having “successfully recaptured and liberated four districts”. South West State Information Minister Nur Sidow Baba told a press conference in Baidoa that the districts “will be brought back under government control”. The current administration accuses Laftagareen’s forces of cooperating with al-Shabaab, which he denies.
A resident of Berdale told AFP that local officials fled to a nearby base of the African Union mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), and that Ethiopian troops stationed there stayed inside and did not intervene. DefenceMENA has seen no statement from AUSSOM or Ethiopia on the fighting.
Background
Federal forces took control of Baidoa in March in a dispute over the leadership of South West State, forcing Laftagareen out. His supporters have since fought federal troops and forces loyal to the new administration on several occasions, including heavy fighting in Baidoa since August, Hiiraan reported. On 13 October Somalia’s anti-money-laundering committee ordered an asset freeze on Laftagareen and nine others over alleged al-Shabaab links, which his side rejects.
Why Buurhakaba matters
Buurhakaba lies on the main road between Mogadishu and Baidoa, which carries trade, civilian traffic and military movements. Who controls it affects how federal and regional forces, and supplies, reach Baidoa. The African Union mission, which fights al-Shabaab, has bases in the area, including the one near Berdale mentioned by residents.
Sources
- AFP via Arab News: Regional forces capture key towns in southern Somalia (17 October 2026)
- Hiiraan Online: Forces loyal to Laftagareen seize several districts and strategic areas in Bay region (17 October 2026)
- Garowe Online: Laftagareen’s forces expand territorial gains in Southwest as Buurhakaba falls (15 October 2026)
