Baidoa, Somalia — Somalia's Minister of Livestock, Forestry and Range, Hassan Hussein Mohamed (Eelay), accompanied by Deputy Commander of the Somali National Army Ground Forces Gen. Irro and other senior military officers, visited frontline army positions on the outskirts of Baidoa on Monday in a show of support for government troops.

The delegation praised the soldiers for their role in maintaining security and protecting civilians, commending their efforts in operations against the Al-Shabaab militant group.

Officials also appealed to armed fighters operating in remote areas to lay down their weapons and surrender to government authorities.

The visit comes as military activity intensifies around Baidoa, the administrative capital of South West State, where government forces and troops loyal to former regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen are reportedly positioned in opposing areas.

The growing tensions have raised concerns over security in and around the city ahead of anticipated elections for the speaker of the regional parliament and the presidency of South West State.

No clashes were reported during the visit, but the security situation remains closely watched as political competition and military deployments continue to fuel uncertainty in the region.