Mogadishu, Somalia — Somalia's parliamentary speaker held a high-level security meeting in the interim South West regional capital of Baidoa on Wednesday with senior army commanders following operations to secure a key road linking the city to the capital, officials said.

Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur, commonly known as Madoobe, met officers of the Somali National Army, including commanders from the 60th Division and local allied forces, at the South West State presidential palace to assess the security situation after government troops arrived in the city a day earlier.

The meeting focused on accelerating security operations in Baidoa and surrounding areas and reviewing efforts that cleared what authorities described as "Khawarij" militants from the strategic route connecting Mogadishu and Baidoa, according to participants.

Military officers briefed the speaker on the outcome of the operation and the latest developments across South West State, particularly in Baidoa, the interim regional capital. The road is considered a critical supply and movement corridor for government forces and humanitarian access.

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Nur praised the armed forces and allied units for what he called their sacrifice in defending Somalia's sovereignty and maintaining security, the statement said. 🇸🇴

The meeting was also attended by Second Deputy Speaker Abdullahi Omar Abshirow, federal ministers, senior government envoys, and Somalia's ambassador to Tanzania and representative to the East African Community, Ilyas Ali Hassan.