3 October 2026 | Independence House, Mogadishu
Baidoa, the heart of Somalia’s South West State, stands at a critical juncture. In recent months, the city has endured repeated outbreaks of violence between forces loyal to former president Abdiaziz Laftagareen and the administration of Sheikh Adan Madobe. These clashes have left hundreds wounded, damaged homes and health facilities, and deepened hardship for a population already facing displacement, drought, and the threat of al-Shabaab.

This struggle is fundamentally about political legitimacy and the future of South West State. The risk is clear: without swift action, Baidoa’s political dispute could ignite a protracted urban war, threatening the lives and livelihoods of countless civilians.

Independence House urgently calls for all sides to cease hostilities, safeguard civilians and medical workers, and commit to Somali-led mediation. The window for peaceful resolution remains open but it is narrowing fast. Read the full advocacy brief here Baidoa at a Crossroads Preventing a Political Struggle from Becoming a Protracted Urban War