Somalia suspends flights to Baidoa amid escalating rift with South West State

The Federal Government of Somalia has suspended flights to Baidoa, the administrative capital of the Bay region, following an escalation in a political dispute with the South West State.

According to reports, no flights departed from or arrived in Baidoa as of Tuesday morning, leaving regular passengers stranded after the suspension disrupted commercial air travel.

Sources indicate that only aircraft operated by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies are currently permitted to access Baidoa, while commercial and civilian flights remain grounded.

The standoff between the Federal Government and South West State has intensified, with the regional administration announcing a suspension of cooperation with Mogadishu, citing disagreements over governance and power-sharing arrangements within the country’s federal system.