MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Opposition forces seeking to unseat Southwest State President Abdiasis Laftagaren have received fresh reinforcements and weapons as rival military mobilization intensifies in southern Somalia’s Bay region.
The opposition groups, aligned with figures inside the federal government, are mobilizing with the support of members of the Somali government and parliament. Among those backing the opposition is the speaker of the federal parliament, Adan Mohamud Nur, widely known as Adan Madobe.
Burhakabo, a town about 64 kilometers east of Baidoa, the administrative seat of the Southwest regional state, has emerged as a key base for the opposition. In recent days, dozens of militia fighters and members of the Somali National Army who oppose the regional authorities have poured into the town.
The news website Caasimada Online reported Tuesday that newly trained forces in Burhakabo received additional weapons as part of the expanding military buildup.
The Somali presidency, which maintains political ties with both Laftagaren – a member of the president’s political party – and parliamentary speaker Adan Madobe, has not initiated mediation efforts to ease the growing tensions. The presidency is widely believed to be leaning toward Laftagaren’s opponents.
It remains unclear how the latest escalation will unfold. The developments come weeks after clashes between the rival sides in Baidoa, where forces loyal to the regional administration drove opposition fighters out of the city after overpowering them.
Laftagaren retains the backing of Ethiopian military forces stationed in Baidoa and many other towns across the Bay and Bakol regions. Much of the surrounding countryside remains under the control of the militant group Al-Shabaab, which controls nearly all roads linking towns across the region.
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