location: Baidoa
notes: Suspected al Shabaab fighters launched a complex attack against the ISWA Presidential Palace in the morning of 12/03. Three armed men dressed in SNAF military uniform driving a NOAH car approached a SNG position near Hotel Eden in Howlwadaag neighbourhood, got off the car, walked towards the ENDF checkpoint located at the gate of the presidential compound where ISWA president Sharif Hassan lives and killed two Ethiopian soldiers. Galayr security Manager, his driver and a British-Somali from Taskforce who were at the checkpoint to access their office were wounded in the attack. The three al Shabaab fighters who almost passed the checkpoint were shot and killed by other AMISOM soldiers who were attracted by the gunshots. The vehicle was arrested by Police and the police commander ordered to drive it away, suspecting that it could carry explosives. A well-known driver agreed to do it and drove it towards Al-amxaar check-point, 4kms north of Baidoa town. He got off and warned the people. Two SNGF soldiers there convinced him that they should search the car. During the search, the vehicle exploded, killing the three of them. Latest reports on 13/03 indicate that AMISOM (ENDF) took the driver of the VBIED from the police station in Baidoa to their base for interrogation. The suspected al Shabaab driver was arrested before his explosive-laden vehicle was driven out of the town by a civilian driver where it exploded.
target_text: location: Baidoa, fatalities: 8