Somali army clashes with local forces for control of Baidoa

Intense clashes erupted in Baidoa, Somalia, between government forces and fighters loyal to former regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. Fighter jets and drones were reported as the violence intensified after thousands of local fighters entered the city. The Somali army, led by senior commander Mohamed Ali, claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties and driven the fighters out, destroying their vehicles loaded with explosives. Three people, including a healthcare worker, died, and many civilians faced difficulties fleeing amid ongoing fighting.