BAIDOA — Officials from the Southwest State administration have issued a stark warning, declaring that recent actions by Somalia’s Federal Government constitute a “direct military war” against the regional state that could potentially ignite a new civil conflict.
Accusations of a Clan-Targeted Assault
According to an official presidential statement released by the regional leadership, the political and security situation has “significantly deteriorated.” Southwest authorities leveled severe accusations against the federal government, claiming Mogadishu is actively morphing the Somali National Army into a partisan force heavily influenced by clan loyalties rather than national defense.
“Local communities view this as a clan-targeted assault, which is rapidly escalating tensions and poses a genuine threat of civil war,” the regional statement emphasized.
The Baidoa-based administration cautioned that the deteriorating crisis could spark widespread armed combat and mass civilian displacements. Officials highlighted that this would trigger heightened humanitarian distress in a region already struggling with extended, severe drought conditions. “Without immediate intervention, this crisis could evolve into a significant humanitarian catastrophe,” the administration added.
Deepening Political Friction
These intense comments arrived just one day after federal authorities officially declared that the mandates of Southwest State’s president and administration had concluded, further intensifying the unprecedented rift between the two parties.
Regional representatives and their allied political factions immediately characterized the federal government’s intervention as unlawful. They asserted that the mandate declaration is a calculated move intended to forcibly install new regional leadership directly aligned with Mogadishu authorities.
Political frictions between the central government and the regional member state have grown exponentially since both chambers of Somalia’s federal parliament ratified highly contentious constitutional amendments earlier this month, a move that Southwest State and other regional players have vehemently opposed.
