SNAF Neutralises IED‑Laden Assault in Baidoa, Seizes Weapons

Mogadishu, 17 August – The Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF) reported a successful counter‑terrorism operation in Baidoa on Monday. At roughly 05:00 GMT, a group of armed militants attempted to breach SNAF checkpoints using vehicles equipped with improvised explosive devices.

The attackers, identified as al‑Shabaab extremists and militia aligned with Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laffatagrin, were met with a professional and decisive response. SNAF forces neutralised the threat, killing at least 30 militants and detaining several others. All IEDs, weapons and vehicles used in the attack were seized by the security forces.

A clearance operation is currently underway to secure the city’s remaining districts and locate any surviving combatants. The Ministry of Defence stated that Baidoa’s stability has been restored and that further information will be provided to the public after the operation concludes.

In a separate operation, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) eliminated eight al‑Shabaab militants, including three senior commanders, in a targeted strike in the Hirshabelle region’s Tardo area. The joint effort also destroyed al‑Shabaab’s bases, storage facilities and killed five militia members, with four injured, further weakening the extremist network in Somalia.