Clashes erupt in Somalia's Baidoa between federal forces and armed groups

BAIDOA, Somalia — Heavy fighting broke out in Baidoa, in southwestern Somalia, between the Federal Army and armed opposition groups, with clashes spreading across multiple parts of the city on Monday, according to Reuters. Farah Nur, a local trader, said militias loyal to a former Baidoa mayor entered the city from two directions, challenging two federal army battalions stationed there. A Somali army officer confirmed that federal forces were engaged in intense combat with the armed opposition in the city center. No official statement has been issued on the scale of the fighting or casualties on either side. Reports from the area indicate that violence is continuing and that civilian movement has been restricted.