On Monday, tensions between Somalia’s federal government and the Southwest State intensified as the regional parliament speaker accused Mogadishu of misusing weapons provided by Egypt for fighting al-Shabab, allegedly diverting them to local militias.
In a post dated March 21, 2026, on X (formerly Twitter), Southwest State Parliament Speaker Dr. Ali Said Fiqi claimed that firearms supplied by Cairo to bolster national security efforts have been rerouted to armed groups in the Burhakaba district. He alleged that these weapons are now being deployed against his administration instead of targeting the al-Shabab militant group.
Dr. Fiqi expressed frustration, stating that Egypt furnished the weapons specifically to safeguard Somalia against external threats, not for use in internal conflicts. He further noted “deeply troubling reports” suggesting these arms are being transported via aircraft to confront Southwest State authorities, labeling the situation as both “painful and unsettling.”
He cautioned that such conduct only escalates tensions, deepens divides, and endangers civilian lives when weapons intended for national defense are repurposed in this manner.
These allegations surfaced amid increasingly strained relations between Somalia’s central government and the Southwest State due to disputes over regional elections and controversial constitutional amendments. Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen conveyed similar concerns days earlier, accusing federal officials of utilizing recently acquired weaponry—obtained after the lifting of the UN arms embargo—against his administration.
So far, the federal government has not issued a public response to the accusations. Egypt, which has been supplying Somalia with weaponry in recent years following the loosening of UN restrictions, plans to deepen its involvement by deploying troops as part of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). This increasing presence underscores how regional dynamics are becoming pivotal in shaping Somalia’s internal political landscape.
