state

Somalia: Federal Government Declares Mandate of Southwest State President Expired Somalia: Federal Government Declares Mandate of Southwest State President Expired MOGADISHU, Somalia — The federal government on Sunday intensified a simmering dispute with Southwest State, announcing that the regional leadership’s tenure has lapsed and that a handover process will begin immediately. In a formal…

Saturday March 21, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — Marking Eid al-Fitr in the capital, North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro prayed alongside hundreds of worshippers in Hargeisa on Friday morning, then used his Eid remarks to urge economic restraint and a renewed push for peace in areas rattled by recent clan clashes. After the prayer, Irro cautioned that conflicts in the Middle East are upending global trade and key shipping routes, warning that the disruption could spill over into food and fuel…

Friday March 20, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State security forces said they detained several armed men on the outskirts of Baidoa on Thursday after intense clashes with fighters aligned with the regional opposition. Officials said in a statement that the detainees belong to opposition groups they allege are linked to the Federal Government of Somalia. Mogadishu has not commented on the accusation. One of the captured men told local media he is from Buurhakaba district and dropped his weapon when the shooting began. He…

Somalia: Regional Bloc Rallies Behind Southwest State as Clash with Federal Government Widens MOGADISHU, Somalia — A bloc of Somali regional states and political figures has thrown its support behind Southwest State President Abdiaziz Laftagareen, further isolating the federal government as a constitutional confrontation gathers pace. The Somali Future Council, which includes the regional governments of Jubbaland and Puntland State alongside the Salvation Forum, issued a statement applauding Laftagareen’s move to challenge…

Thursday March 19, 2026 - Baidoa (AX) — Southwest State President Abdiasis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen on Wednesday accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of stalling regional elections since 2022, sharpening an increasingly public split between Baidoa and Mogadishu. At a press conference in Baidoa, Laftagareen said leaders of federal member states had made repeated attempts to organize their own ballots but were blocked by the federal leadership. “In September 2022, all the regional state leaders were present…

Thursday March 19, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — In a sharp escalation with Somalia’s federal authorities, Southwest State on Wednesday halted all commercial and private air traffic into and out of airports across the region. The Southwest Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation said in a statement the suspension took effect March 18, 2026, and will remain in force until further notice. The ministry said it imposed the measure to protect public safety and keep air traffic orderly “given the prevailing circumstances,” without…

Somalia’s Southwest State has accused senior federal officials of maintaining links with Al-Shabaab and arming local militias, sharpening its standoff with Mogadishu. Authorities in Baidoa alleged that federal ministers and lawmakers have organized and supplied armed groups operating in Buurhakaba district in the Bay region. Southwest State Security Minister Hassan Abdulkadir told reporters the fighters are outside Somalia’s official security structure and behave like extremist insurgents. These groups are not government…

Taliska Mareykanka ee Afrika (AFRICOM) ayaa sheegay inuu 16-ka Maarso 2026 duqeyn cirka ah ka fuliyay agagaarka Buuraha Golis ee Puntland State, iyadoo lala beegsaday xubno ka tirsan ISIS. AFRICOM ayaa Talaadadii ku sheegtay bayaan in weerarku ka dhacay deegaanka Buuraha Golis, qiyaastii 45 kiiloomitir (28 mayl) koonfur-bari kaga beegan magaalada Boosaaso. “AFRICOM, alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and Somali Armed Forces, continues to take action to degrade ISIS-Somalia’s ability to threaten the U.S. homeland,…

The Southwest State officials accused unnamed federal government figures of maintaining links with al-Shabab and arming militias in Buur Hakaba and that deepening tensions with Mogadishu. Authorities in Baidoa said in statements and public remarks that some federal ministers and lawmakers were involved in organizing and supplying armed groups actively in Buur Hakaba district of Bay region. Southwest Security Minister Hassan Abdulkadir asserted that the fighters operating there are not part of recognized state forces…

Somalia’s Interior Ministry said Wednesday it is monitoring escalating tensions with Southwest State and warned that continued political friction could endanger peace and stability. In a statement, the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation voiced concern about the dispute’s impact and underscored the need to uphold the constitution and the federal system of governance. “The federal government commends the people and administration of the Southwest State for their role in preserving the unity of the…