Southwest lawmakers sworn in as fighting erupts in Baidoa

Sunday May 31, 2026

Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State’s newly elected House of Representatives members were sworn in on Saturday in Baidoa, a ceremony that unfolded against the backdrop of intense fighting between federal government forces and troops loyal to former regional President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen.

Southwest State’s interim leader, Jibril Abdirashid Haji, attended the event alongside federal government officials, traditional elders and other dignitaries.

The new lawmakers formally took the oath of office, pledging to carry out their constitutional duties.

Jibril urged the members to serve the people of Southwest State with honesty, integrity and responsibility. He also pressed them to help bolster governance, security and development across the region.

He further welcomed the orderly conduct of the swearing-in, saying it reflected wider efforts to strengthen state institutions and move governance forward in Southwest State.

Yet the ceremony came on a highly charged day in Baidoa, where federal government forces clashed with fighters loyal to Laftagareen, who continues to insist he remains the legitimate president of Southwest State.

Laftagareen has recently said his forces will do whatever is necessary to regain control of the region.

The latest confrontation underscores the deepening political and security crisis in Southwest State, where disputes over leadership, elections and federal influence have spilled into armed conflict.

Baidoa, the interim capital of Southwest State, remains a central political and military hub in southern Somalia. While the swearing-in of the new parliament marks a significant milestone in the federal-backed political process, the violence highlights the difficulty of consolidating authority in the region.