Watch: South West to create mass graves for the bodies of Lafta-gareen's forces

Baydhaba (Caasimada Online) – The Minister of the Ministry of Information of South West, Mr. Nuur Siidoow Baaba, accompanied by other officials, today inspected the sites where battles occurred yesterday, which show the impact of the intense clashes that took place there, stating that they are preparing mass graves for the bodies of the soldiers loyal to Lafta-gareen who were killed in the city of Baydhaba.

Nuur Siidoow Baaba stated that they have encountered nearly 100 militia bodies scattered in the areas where the battles took place, and he noted that South West will bury them as soon as possible.

“We have come across the bodies, the number of which is close to 100, and they are scattered in different parts of the city, and now we are preparing mass graves to bury them all in one place,” the Minister said.

He also pointed out that the attackers caused significant damage, including the destruction of the city and looting of public property.

“When they entered the city yesterday, it was like what is known of the Khawaarij, they committed looting, and the livestock of the people were stolen, hotels were invaded, and they also targeted the mosque, preventing the public from praying there,” he added.

However, the battle on Monday was the latest in a series of clashes that have occurred in the city of Baydhaba in recent months, which are rooted in a political dispute that later turned into a military struggle over the control of the city and the administration of South West.

On August 17, heavy fighting broke out in Baydhaba after troops loyal to Lafta-gareen entered the city. Government forces later expelled those fighters, while the Ministry of Defense reported that nearly 30 of the attackers were killed. Another battle occurred on September 3 on the outskirts of Baydhaba. The Ministry of Defense then stated that troops loyal to Lafta-gareen and Al-Shabaab fighters participated in the attack, although the claims regarding Al-Shabaab have not been independently verified.

The recurrence of these battles has raised particular concern in Baydhaba, which is the temporary capital of the South West administration and home to hundreds of thousands of people displaced by conflicts and droughts in other parts of the country.