The Somali National Army has consolidated control over Baidoa, the second-largest city in Somalia and capital of the country’s Southwest State, following a week of escalating confrontation between federal troops and forces loyal to the regional president.
On Monday, March 31, 2026, federal soldiers moved into Baidoa after what the government described as an operation against armed groups resisting state authority. The city’s streets fell quiet as the military takeover unfolded. Within hours, the president of Southwest State, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, announced his resignation in a televised address.
“I, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, effective today, 30 March 2026, have resigned from the position of President of Southwest State,” he said in a brief statement. The resignation came exactly two weeks after he first refused to step down following a dispute over the integration of regional forces into the national army.
Baidoa holds particular strategic significance. The city serves as a hub for humanitarian operations and is home to bases operated by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). The presence of international peacekeepers and aid agencies means any instability in Baidoa sends ripples well beyond Somalia’s borders.
The federal government’s move against Southwest State is the most decisive intervention in a regional political dispute since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud began his second term. His administration has sought to centralise military command under the federal army — a policy regional leaders have resisted, viewing it as an erosion of their autonomy.
The international community responded cautiously. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia called for calm and urged all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue. ATMIS said it was monitoring the situation closely.
For ordinary Somalis in Baidoa, the immediate concern is security and basic services. Residents reported that electricity and water supplies were disrupted during the fighting. Several aid agencies temporarily suspended operations.
As the federal government consolidates its hold on Baidoa, the question now is what happens to the thousands of fighters who were previously loyal to the Southwest State administration. Military analysts warn that if not properly integrated or demobilised, they could swell the ranks of armed opposition groups.