The president of South West State, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, has resigned following the takeover of the regional capital, Baidoa, by forces of the Somali National Army (SNA).
Laftagareen announced his resignation on Monday, just days after being re-elected for a fresh five-year term. His departure comes barely two weeks after he declared a severing of ties with the federal government in Mogadishu, escalating tensions between the regional and central administrations.
The federal government had earlier declared his mandate expired and signalled plans for a leadership transition—moves that heightened fears of instability and potential clashes around Baidoa.
The resignation followed the deployment of SNA troops into the city, where they assumed control of key installations.
Authorities in the semi-autonomous state accused the federal government of using national resources in ways that undermine regional stability and security.
Baidoa remains a strategic hub in southern Somalia, hosting international peacekeeping forces and humanitarian agencies operating in a region grappling with prolonged drought, conflict and displacement. It also serves as the administrative and political centre of South West State.
Residents reported a heavy military presence in recent days, with many fleeing amid fears of confrontation between federal forces and regional security units. By Monday evening, however, locals described the city as calm, though largely deserted.
Federal authorities accused the outgoing regional administration of fuelling political tensions, insisting the intervention was necessary to restore stability. Officials added that the military deployment had been welcomed in parts of the city.
Laftagareen’s resignation is expected to deepen the standoff between regional and federal authorities, centred on disputes over governance, elections and the balance of power within Somalia’s federal system.
The crisis marks the latest fracture in Somalia’s fragile federal structure and raises concerns about renewed instability, particularly in regions already facing acute humanitarian and security challenges.
On March 17, 2026, South West State suspended cooperation with the central government, accusing Mogadishu of interfering in regional affairs, arming local militias and attempting to unseat Laftagareen.
The rift widened further after Somalia’s federal parliament approved controversial constitutional amendments earlier in March, extending presidential and parliamentary terms—measures strongly opposed by several regional states.
South West State is now the third federal member state, after Puntland and Jubaland, to suspend relations with Mogadishu amid ongoing disputes over power-sharing and the provisional constitution.
