Somalia clashes with regional forces over control of key city

Somali national forces clashed with troops loyal to an ousted regional leader on Monday over control of a key city, the government said, accusing him of allying with Islamist insurgents.

Several states in the deeply fragmented country are opposed to control by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who also faces a long-running insurgency by the Islamist Al-Shabaab group that controls vast swathes of central Somalia.

In March, the government sent in troops to oust the head of South West State, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. He launched a failed attempt to retake the state in May.

Troops loyal to Laftagareen again attacked Somali army positions in the state capital, Baidoa, around 5:00 am on Monday, this time with the help of Al-Shabaab militants, according to a statement by the federal government.

The assault involved "vehicles laden with explosives", the statement said, adding that government troops killed nearly 30 militants in their response.

A spokesperson for the Laftagareen administration claimed their fighters held parts of Baidoa, but witnesses told AFP they were soon forced out.

Resident Adan Nurey told AFP of "heavy fighting in several areas".

"We saw both sides exchanging fire on some streets, and the fighting continued for several hours," he said by phone, adding that Laftagareen's forces later withdrew and federal troops regained full control of the city.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF), who run facilities in the city, confirmed the fighting and said that "several casualties have reached the hospital".

It was unable to give further details but said the clashes had been on "two fronts".

Resident Salad Ali said there were "deaths and injuries, and several people were taken prisoner".

"I saw several bodies on the road, although I could not determine the exact number," he told AFP.

The president has been attempting to move Somalia towards democratic elections, replacing a system based around clan elders.

But he has been criticised for extending his own mandate, while the security situations and divisions between rival clans mean there has been little progress on organising elections beyond a few localised pockets.