Mortar attack kills two, injures four in Somalia’s Baidoa city

At least two civilians were killed, and four others injured after mortar shells struck the Wadajir neighbourhood of Baidoa, the administrative capital of Somalia’s Southwest State, early Friday.

Residents told local media that three mortar shells landed in the area at around 3:30 a.m. local time, one of which hit a house where a family of six was sleeping. The attack killed a mother and her infant child, while the four other children sustained injuries.

The shelling caused significant damage to several houses. Residents gathered at the scene on Friday morning to assist the victims, with footage showing the heavy impact on the affected homes.

Wadajir neighbourhood is located near Baidoa Airport, an area that has previously been targeted by Al-Shabaab militants in mortar attacks.

Earlier this month, Southwest State forces repelled an Al-Shabaab assault on an army post in Daynuunay, on the outskirts of Baidoa. Several Al-Shabaab fighters were killed during the clashes, although regional forces also suffered casualties.

Baidoa remains largely cut off by road, as Al-Shabaab has maintained control over the city’s main entry points and surrounding areas for nearly a decade.