Targeted airstrikes hit positions held by Al-Shabaab militants and factional forces loyal to former Southwest State President Laftagareen in Somalia’s Bakool region, as political conflict and armed clashes intensify across Bay and Bakool.
WAJID (Somali Report) — Targeted airstrikes struck positions belonging to Al-Shabaab militants and allied factional forces loyal to former Southwest State President Abdicasis Laftagareen on the outskirts of Wajid district in southern Somalia's Bakool region, military sources said.
The precision strikes targeted gatherings of fighters staged outside Wajid, inflicting significant casualties and destroying militant equipment, according to Somali military officials.
"The operation proceeded exactly as planned to neutralize active security threats in the area," a senior Somali military officer said on condition of anonymity. "Government forces and partner units will maintain pressure and sustain offensive operations across the region until stability is fully restored."
While military commanders did not release an official casualty count immediately following the operation, federal authorities in Mogadishu are expected to issue a detailed briefing.
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The security situation across southern Somalia's Bay and Bakool regions remains highly volatile, with opposing troop movements reported across key corridors. The targeted strikes come amid a sharp escalation in armed clashes between forces loyal to Laftagareen and troops aligned with the Baidoa-based regional administration, which is backed by the Somali Federal Government.
In recent days, militia forces loyal to the former regional leader launched a series of coordinated offensives, seizing control of several key towns in Bay region—including Qansaxdheere, Bardaale, Burhakaba, and Diinsoor—from forces supporting regional administration leader Adan Madobe.
Military planners in Baidoa are currently organizing a major counter-offensive aimed at retaking the seized districts and flushing out factional fighters and insurgent pockets. The widening conflict highlights a dangerous convergence of Somalia's long-running war against Al-Shabaab insurgents and deepening regional political rivalries in the strategic South-Central zone.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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