MOGADISHU: Forces loyal to an ousted regional leader in southwestern Somalia again clashed with federal soldiers near the outskirts of Baidoa city, officials and witnesses said Monday.

Several states in the deeply fragmented country are opposed to control by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and in March his government sent in troops to oust the head of South West State, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen.

He has launched repeated attempts to retake the region and its main city of Baidoa, most recently in September when thousands of his forces attacked, leaving at least three people dead.

The fighting erupted as Somali security forces established new defensive positions in Burjeedka, a small settlement near the city.

“A large-scale operation targeting terrorist groups began this morning,” South West State’s information minister Nur Siidow Baaba told reporters.

He said federal forces were advancing in several directions “to restore state authority in areas recently lost.”

“We inflicted heavy casualties, while two of our soldiers were killed,” said Somali army commander Abdullahi Hassan.

But a pro-Laftagareen commander, Hassan Abdulkadir Mohamed, claimed his forces were in control.

“A unit of our Darwiish forces clashed with enemy troops from Mogadishu, forcing them into a humiliating retreat to Baidoa,” he said, without providing more details.

Witnesses in Baidoa reported hearing heavy fighting along the road to Mogadishu early on Monday.

“We heard loud explosions and saw a convoy of reinforcements leaving the city toward the fighting. Gunfire continued for more than an hour,” said resident Nur Yare.

The full casualty toll remains unknown, although both sides acknowledged losses in the clash.

Last week, at least three members of a pro-Laftagareen militia were killed by airstrikes in the Wajid district, Bakool region.