# Baidoa Airport (Shatigadud International, BIB)

> Baidoa's Shatigadud International Airport (BIB/HCMB): 1960s build, Soviet-era upgrade, runway data, the 2014 base, and aid flights, with sources.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/infrastructure/baidoa-airport/
Last checked: 2026-11-13
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## At a glance

- **Codes:** IATA BIB, ICAO HCMB ([OurAirports, HCMB](https://ourairports.com/airports/HCMB/)).
- **Runway:** one asphalt runway, 04/22, 2,940 by 40 metres (9,646 by 131 feet) ([Wikipedia, Baidoa Airport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidoa_Airport), citing the [Logistics Cluster specification sheet](https://web.archive.org/web/20131103074644/http://www.logcluster.org/ops/som/air-transport/airfield-specifications/Baidoa%20without%20FC.pdf)).
- **Height:** Wikipedia gives 1,505 feet (459 metres) above sea level and OurAirports 1,820 feet ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidoa_Airport); [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/airports/HCMB/)).
- **City:** Baydhabo (Baidoa), capital of the [Bay](/en/regions/bay/) region and seat of [South West State](/en/states/south-west-state/).
- **Name:** Wikipedia gives its name as Shatigadud International Airport ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidoa_Airport)), the name of [Hassan Mohamed Nur Shatigadud](/en/people/hassan-mohamed-nur-shatigadud/), first president of South West State.

## A military airfield, 1960s to 1991

The airport was built in the 1960s with a runway 8,800 feet long and 150 feet wide. In 1974, with Soviet support, it was resurfaced with asphalt and lengthened to 9,600 feet ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidoa_Airport)). CIA photo-interpretation reports of the time tracked the work, and by June 1975 the base held at least six Somali Air Force MiG-21 fighters and two Il-28 bombers (same source, citing [CIA reading room](https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78T05162A000400010097-1.pdf)). For the air force's history see [Somali Air Force](/en/institutions/somali-air-force/).

## The runway in three sizes

The same strip has been rebuilt at least twice, and the published lengths show it ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidoa_Airport); [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/airports/HCMB/)):

- **1960s:** 8,800 feet long and 150 feet wide, unpaved.
- **1974:** asphalt, 9,600 feet long.
- **Today:** asphalt, 9,646 feet (2,940 metres) long and 131 feet (40 metres) wide.

## Since 1991

For Baidoa's history in the war and famine years see [Bay](/en/regions/bay/), [UNOSOM I](/en/history/unosom-i-1992-1993/) and the [Rahanweyn Resistance Army](/en/institutions/rahanweyn-resistance-army/). A large military compound was built at the airport in 2014 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidoa_Airport)); the forces based in the town include the [Somali National Army](/en/institutions/somali-national-army/) and African Union troops, now [AUSSOM](/en/institutions/aussom/).

## Flights and aid

The airport has been used by both civil and military aircraft ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidoa_Airport)). The UN Logistics Cluster, which coordinates humanitarian transport, publishes a specification sheet so aid operators can plan landings ([Logistics Cluster](https://web.archive.org/web/20131103074644/http://www.logcluster.org/ops/som/air-transport/airfield-specifications/Baidoa%20without%20FC.pdf)). For the Somali carriers that serve the city see [Airlines in Somalia](/en/economy/airlines-in-somalia/).

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