Somalia's federal army has taken control of Baidoa, the largest city in Southwest state, as the regional leader resigned following weeks of escalating tensions with Mogadishu over electoral disputes and constitutional amendments.
Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen announced his resignation as Southwest state president on Monday after more than seven years in office, posting on Facebook:
I, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, effective today, 30 March 2026, have resigned from the position of President of Southwest State.
Federal forces entered Baidoa on Monday, taking full control of the strategic city located 245 km (150 miles) northwest of Mogadishu. The city, which hosts international peacekeepers and humanitarian agencies, appeared largely deserted following the federal takeover.
Federal forces have taken over Baidoa … it is now calm … but it looks like a ghost town,
local elder Adan Hussein told Reuters.
The federal government's Information Minister Daud Aweis characterized the development as a popular demand for change, stating:
The people of the Southwest state have taken control of Baidoa, signalling demand for accountability. The Federal Government of Somalia remains committed to stability, protecting lives and property, and ensuring no persecution or retaliation.
Ahmed Mohamed Hussein, Southwest state's finance minister, was appointed acting president through a formal decree as the political transition began.
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The crisis escalates broader tensions within Somalia's fragile federal system ahead of contentious national elections scheduled for this year. Laftagareen's resignation came days after his re-election to another five-year term — an election the federal government declared illegal.
Two weeks earlier, the Southwest administration had announced it was severing ties with Mogadishu over disputes regarding constitutional amendments backed by the federal government. Many residents fled Baidoa in recent days, and aid agencies suspended operations amid fears of clashes between federal and regional forces.
The dispute reflects deeper structural problems in Somalia's federal arrangement, where disagreements over electoral processes and power-sharing between the capital and regional administrations repeatedly strain the political system. Opposition groups and regional leaders have expressed concerns about potential electoral manipulation in the upcoming national vote, where MPs will select the president rather than direct popular elections.
Somalia's Ministry of Information said the former Southwest administration had "created political conflict," while emphasizing that federal forces were welcomed in Baidoa. Mogadishu has pledged no retaliation during what it calls a "sensitive" political transition.
Context: This development highlights the ongoing tensions in Somalia's federal system, where disputes between Mogadishu and regional states over electoral processes and constitutional reforms continue to create political instability. The takeover of Baidoa, a strategic city in an area affected by drought and displacement, comes as Somalia prepares for national elections amid concerns about fair representation and federal oversight.
