BAIDOA — Authorities in the Southwest State have openly accused senior federal officials of maintaining ties with the militant group Al-Shabaab and supplying weapons to local militias. This severe allegation significantly deepens the unprecedented political rift between the regional administration and the central government in Mogadishu.
Accusations of Armed Destabilization
The regional leadership in Baidoa alleged that federal ministers and lawmakers have been directly involved in organizing and arming groups currently operating in the Buurhakaba district of the Bay region. Southwest State Security Minister Hassan Abdulkadir told reporters that these forces are not part of Somalia’s official security architecture.
Instead, the security minister described them as “specially organized militias” whose operational methods closely mirror those of extremist insurgents.
“These groups are not government forces,” Abdulkadir stated during the press briefing. “It is clear they are being used to undermine security and destabilize the regional administration.”
Severed Ties and Military Solidarity
The federal government in Mogadishu did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations. The claims arrive just one day after Southwest State announced it was formally suspending all cooperation with the central government, citing repeated interference in its internal political affairs. Regional officials have accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration of intentionally attempting to weaken regional leadership, following the federal government’s recent declaration that Southwest President Abdiaziz Laftagareen’s mandate had expired.
The rapidly escalating standoff has further rattled the country’s fragile security sector. Reports and local footage suggest that the Somali National Army’s 60th Division, headquartered in Baidoa, has expressed solidarity with the regional administration’s position over the federal government.
This dispute underscores the mounting, critical strains within Somalia’s federal system. Southwest State’s decision to sever ties follows similar strategic moves by the semi-autonomous regions of Puntland and Jubbaland, as regional leaders aggressively push back against proposed constitutional changes and the centralized framework for upcoming elections.
