BAIDOA: Senior Somali military commanders have convened high-level security discussions in the southwestern city of Baidoa as the federal government intensifies efforts to secure South West State during ongoing one‑person, one‑vote elections. The meeting, presided over by Deputy Ground Forces Commander Abdullahi Hussein Cirro (also known as General Iro), brought together senior officers from key Somali National Army (SNA) units, including the commander of the 60th Division, Colonel Isaaq, and the commander of the 17th Gorgor Brigade, Colonel Hussein Moolif.
Military officials reported that the discussions focused on enhancing security operations in Baidoa and surrounding areas, with particular attention to protecting electoral activities and maintaining stability throughout South West State. The commanders also reviewed ongoing offensives against Al‑Shabaab, which continues to launch attacks in parts of southern and central Somalia despite sustained military pressure from Somali government forces and allied local militias. The meeting reflects the federal government’s determination to secure the electoral process as South West State holds its first direct polls in decades.
For the federal government, securing elections in South West State represents a critical test of Somalia’s broader efforts to expand democratic participation and extend state authority into areas previously affected by militant influence. Elite Danab commandos have also been deployed to the Bay region to support security operations, complementing the work of conventional SNA units. The government has indicated that additional security forces have been deployed around major towns and strategic locations in the region to ensure the electoral process proceeds safely and without interruption.
The meeting in Baidoa builds on a series of recent high‑level military engagements in the city. Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and Chief of Defence Forces Ibrahim Mohamed Mahmoud previously toured forward operating bases in Baidoa to assess troop readiness and operational capabilities. Speaker of the House of the People, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur (Madobe), has also convened strategic meetings with SNA commanders in Baidoa to evaluate security conditions following the recent political transition in South West State.
The intensified military focus on South West State has yielded results. Somali National Army forces, operating with close‑air and intelligence support from international partners, recently eliminated 12 Al‑Shabaab militants during a coordinated security operation in the Daynuney area of southwestern Somalia. Meanwhile, the federal government has maintained financial pressure on the group. Intelligence assessments estimate that Al‑Shabaab’s total revenue for 2025 dropped to below $80 million, its lowest level in seven years, following sustained sanctions and financial disruption campaigns.
Baidoa, the interim capital of South West State, remains one of Somalia’s most strategically important cities and serves as a primary hub for federal government operations and regional security coordination in the southwest. The ongoing security efforts are part of a broader push to protect the electoral process, which saw more than 376,000 registered voters cast ballots in parliamentary and local council elections across 13 districts. The meeting underscores the increasing cooperation between Somalia’s military leadership and regional authorities as the government advances both security operations and political reforms simultaneously.
Recommended Reading on ftlsomalia.com:
- Military Leaders Inspect Baidoa Frontlines Amid Security Drive
- Danab Commandos Launch Security Operations in Bay Region
- Federal Leaders Boost Security in Baidoa Following Power Shift
- Somali Forces Kill 12 Al-Shabaab Militants in Southwest
- From Sanctions List to Financial Collapse: How Somalia is Crippling Al-Shabaab’s War Chest
- South West State Elections Begin with 394 Parliamentary and 1,297 Local Council Candidates
- Somalia’s Senior Military Commanders Hold Security Meeting in Baidoa Amid Election Security Push
