Kathmandu— Somali army forces repelled an attack by rebel fighters in Baidoa, the largest city in Somalia’s South West State, following hours of intense fighting that involved explosives and resulted in dozens of casualties. The clashes began before dawn on Monday when fighters loyal to the state’s former president, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, attacked positions held by federal forces, according to the Defence Ministry. The army reported driving out the opposition fighters and accused them of collaborating with the al-Qaeda-linked group al-Shabab.

Escalation of Conflict

The Somali Defence Ministry stated that attackers used vehicles laden with explosives but were successfully repelled, resulting in 30 fatalities among the rebel forces. Prior to the army’s response, Laftagareen's camp claimed on Facebook they had captured the city center. Residents reported to AFP that this round of clashes represented the most intense fighting since the Somalian army assumed control of Baidoa in March.

Background to the Fighting

Baidoa is located approximately 245km (150 miles) northwest of Mogadishu and currently hosts hundreds of thousands of people displaced by ongoing conflict and climate-related events. The recent fighting stems from a dispute that began in March when Laftagareen severed ties with the central government in Mogadishu, protesting controversial constitutional amendments proposed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. These changes extended Mohamud’s term and altered Somalia's power-sharing agreement established in its 2012 provisional constitution.

Previous Attempts to Regain Control

The constitutional changes sparked clashes nationwide, including in the capital, leading to the Somalian army seizing Baidoa and prompting Laftagareen’s resignation. Fighters loyal to him have repeatedly attempted to regain control of the city since then, including a failed effort in May.

The ongoing instability is exacerbating an already severe humanitarian crisis within Somalia, where millions are currently facing malnutrition and famine.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.