Tag: baidoa

The National Electoral Commission has begun dispatching election materials to South West State, days before the region’s landmark one-person-one-vote polls scheduled for 15 May...

Ousted Southwest state president Abdiasis Laftagaren has forcefully renewed his claim to office, declaring in a televised interview that he remains the region’s lawful...

Somalia’s Ministry of Interior has formed a ten-member technical committee to lead reconciliation efforts in the Southwest State, following recent political changes and a presidential visit to Baidoa. The team is tasked with fostering lasting peace and preparing for a one-person, one-vote election in the region.

A federal delegation landed in Baidoa on Tuesday to manage the political transition in Southwest State, a day after regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen stepped down after seven years in power. The visit marks the first time some senior officials have returned to the city since a long-running political dispute, with second deputy prime minister Jibriil Adirashiid appointed to head the interim administration.

New video footage from Baidoa shows the Federal Government of Somalia’s minister of livestock, Hassan Hussein Mohamed (Eelay), entering the city in bulletproof vehicles provided by Turkey. The move signals heightened official presence in the strategic hub.

After forces loyal to Southwest State's security apparatus—reportedly supported by Somali National Army (SNA) elements—engaged in a violent confrontation with troops under the direct command of the Southwest administration, there have been intense heavy weapon exchanges in Baydhabo, especially near the city's main livestock market. The conflict has led to a dangerous escalation of internal power struggles within the region's security forces.

Fresh from his re-election victory, the President of Southwest State has pledged to consolidate security gains, accelerate development projects, and expand healthcare services, asking for continued support to “complete what remains” of his administration’s agenda.