At least 15 people were killed in the two-day clashes between South West State security forces and militia groups loyal to local politicians.

The fighting erupted on Wednesday after a militia led by an officer identified as Abdirahman Niishow—formerly a member of the Somali National Army and reportedly linked to the Speaker of the Federal Parliament, Aden Mohamed Nur (Aden Madoobe)—attacked South West State forces stationed at a site earmarked for the construction of a new Ministry of Livestock building.

The construction project is part of a World Bank–funded development initiative, according to official sources of the Southwest State.

The land designated for the construction is claimed by an arms trafficker known as Macalin Cabdow, and fighting broke out almost immediately.

According to the South West State Minister of Information, Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, the clashes on the first day lasted for most of the day.

“Our forces fought against criminal gangs who were looting civilians,” the minister said in a statement issued on the first day of the fighting.

However, journalists reported that the conflict intensified on the second day, Thursday, after militias loyal to the Federal Government’s Minister of Livestock, Hassan Mohamed Hussein, commonly known as Hassan Eelaay, joined the fighting.

By Thursday evening, South West State forces succeeded in driving the militias out of the city.

At least five bodies were seen inside a house used by the militias and owned by the Federal Minister of Livestock, located in central Baidoa.

Casualties

At least 15 people are confirmed dead, including combatants and civilians.

Baidoa district authorities and officials who visited the city’s two hospitals—the Bay Regional Hospital and Heegan Hospital—reported that around 10 civilians, including children, were injured by stray bullets.

The South West State Minister of Security, Mohamed Abduqadir, told the media late Thursday that security had been fully restored and that the fighting groups had been expelled from the city.

“We warned them before, including a federal minister, that what they are doing will not earn them political office,” the minister said.

No statement has been issued by the Office of the Speaker of the Federal Parliament, Aden Madoobe, who has been accused of involvement in the Baidoa fighting.

However, the Federal Minister of Livestock, Hassan Eelaay, released a brief statement accusing the South West State authorities of attacking his house in Baidoa.

Members of the Federal Parliament based in Mogadishu have also commented on the clashes, though they remain divided in their views over the incident.

The fighting in Baidoa comes as President Abdiaziz Laftagareen faces mounting pressure over delayed elections, with his term in office having ended in December 2022. Opposition politicians, backed by the federal government in Mogadishu, have been calling for the regional election to be held as soon as possible.

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Lawmakers ratified the treaty with 130 votes in favor, 10 against, and 5 abstentions.

However, the government made reservations on five provisions, including those related to the definition of a child’s age, freedom of conscience and religion, protection of privacy, child marriage, and adoption of orphans.

Speaker of Parliament Aden Mohamed Nur (Sheikh Aden Madobe) announced the treaty was ratified with the exceptions of the five articles.

“Members of the House of the People of the Federal Parliament of Somalia voted on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, with 130 lawmakers approving, 10 opposing, and five abstaining,” said a statement released by Speaker Adan Madobe’s office.

Local youth activists have condemned the move, saying it effectively leaves Somali children — particularly girls — vulnerable to forced marriages and sexual abuse.

“This decision undermines decades of progress on child protection and women’s rights,” said Abdullahi Abdirahman, an activist in Mogadishu. “By refusing to ban child marriage, Parliament is failing to protect the most vulnerable.”

We are very concerned because, under this law, if an older man wants to marry you, you simply cannot say no,” says Aisha Mohamud, a nursing student at Banadir University.

Under Somalia’s Provisional Constitution, a child is defined as anyone under the age of 18. However, the reservations made to the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, according to several members of parliament, are part of ongoing efforts to amend the country’s constitution.

For example, in the draft Somali translation of the African Charter, the Somali Cabinet wrote to Parliament stating that Somalia does not recognize anyone under 18 as a child, claiming that such a definition contradicts Sharia law.

But sources say the proposed amendment is being strongly pushed by extremist clerics who hold significant influence within the government.

Such an amendment, which would set the age of “maturity” at 15, would put girls at greater risk of child marriage—a practice that harms their health, particularly their reproductive health, and limits their access to education and protection from other forms of abuse, Human Rights Watch warned.

According to Girls Not Brides, an international organization working to end child marriage, 17 percent of girls in Somalia are married before the age of 15, and 36 percent before 18.

Abdalle Mumin, Secretary General of the Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), said the move reflects a worrying trend of shrinking rights and growing violence against women in Somalia.

“This is not just about child marriage—it’s about rolling back fundamental freedoms and human rights in Somalia,” Mumin said. “When lawmakers use the extremist version of interpretation to justify the exploitation of children, it sends a dangerous message and it shows that women and girls are not safe in Somalia.”

Journalists and activists who speak out against this risk intimidation or arrest, but Mumin says media must continue to expose these injustices.

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Security officials from the Somali federal government and the Hirshabelle regional administration confirmed that Al-Shabaab launched a multi-front assault and swiftly took full control of the town.

Hirshabelle’s Minister of Security, Mohamed Kheyre, confirmed that Al-Shabaab is now in control of Aadan Yabaal.

The town had previously served as a key operational base for Somali government forces and allied local militias.

It played a significant role in ongoing military campaigns against Al-Shabaab in the Middle Shabelle region.

The exact casualty toll from the fighting remains unclear, but local residents reported fatalities and injuries during the early morning clash.

#UPDATE: Early Wednesday morning, Al-Shabaab militants launched a coordinated attacks on Adan Yabaal district from multiple directions, Somali security officials have confirmed.

The militant group has now issued a statement claiming to have “captured the strategic town and… pic.twitter.com/1A2k3aMyo9

— Kaab TV (@KaabTV) April 16, 2025

Al-Shabaab, which is the Al-Qaeda affiliated group, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating they had captured government and local militia bases in the town.

Photos circulated on social media showed Al-Shabaab fighters inside Aadan Yabaal’s police station, with images of seized weapons, military vehicles—including those donated by Somalia’s international partners—and food supplies.

What the fall of Aadan Yabaal means?

Several military officers are reportedly missing, with some believed to have fled the town.

The Somali government has not yet issued a statement regarding the missing officers.

The fall of Aadan Yabaal means the federal government now controls only three towns in the Middle Shabelle region: Jowhar, Mahaday, and Bal’ad. The rest of the region is now under Al-Shabaab control.

Additionally, government forces have reportedly withdrawn from Yasooman and Aboorey in the Hiiraan region, where heavy fighting with Al-Shabaab had occurred over the past week.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud briefly addressed the loss of Aadan Yabaal, calling it “a one-day setback” that does not define the broader fight against Al-Shabaab.

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The Speaker of the Somali Parliament, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Noor, known as Adan Madobe, has raised questions how a lone suicide bomber managed to breach all security checkpoints and infiltrate such a heavily fortified military camp.

“There is a lot of suspicion about how it was possible for a lone suicide bomber to go through all the security checkpoints and enter such a secure place?” he said.

Speaker Madobe voiced his concerns, hinting at the existence of a potential insider who may have facilitated the attack.

“I have no doubt that the bombing of Jaalle Siyad military camp was facilitated by an insider. A clear answer is expected from the Armed Forces,” added Madobe.

The devastating attack took place in the early hours of Monday, when a lone suicide bomber managed to infiltrate the Jaalle Siyaad military training camp and detonated an explosive vest amidst a group of military personnel and recruits from the 14th October Brigade, who had been lining up after their breakfast.

The Speaker of the Lower House is now calling for an independent investigation into the bombing.

The militant group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a press statement in which they claimed that 73 soldiers were killed, and 124 others were injured.

According to their account, approximately 250 soldiers were present at the site when the attack occurred around 8:15 a.m. local time in Mogadishu.

Separately, an angry families gathered in Marka city in Lower Shabelle Region, where many of the slain soldiers hailed.

The demanded an urgent and thorough investigation into the attack on Monday terming the possibility of inside plotters.

As Somalia mourns the loss of its brave soldiers and grapples with the aftermath of this appalling attack, the call for accountability and transparency resonates across the nation.

The demand for answers highlights the pressing need to address potential security breaches within the military and take decisive action against those responsible for the heinous act.

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