Heavy fighting broke out on Monday in and around Baidoa between Southwest State forces and federal government troops, along with allied armed groups loyal to the regional administration.
Residents reported sustained exchanges of heavy gunfire beginning early in the day. The fighting is said to have started near a livestock market close to a checkpoint along the main road linking Baidoa to Mogadishu before spreading to other parts of the town.
The number of casualties remains unclear, and there has been no immediate official statement from either side detailing losses.
The confrontation follows days of military mobilization across parts of the Southwest region, with both federal and regional authorities deploying forces amid escalating political tensions.
The clashes mark a sharp escalation in the ongoing standoff between Mogadishu and the Southwest administration, raising fears of broader instability in a region already strained by displacement and humanitarian pressures.
More details are expected as the situation develops.
