Somalia’s federal army has taken control of the strategic city of Baidoa in the country’s Southwest state, prompting the resignation of regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. He announced his departure on March 30, 2026, after more than seven years in office.
Federal forces entered Baidoa, about 245 kilometres northwest of Mogadishu, on Monday and assumed full control of the city, which hosts international peacekeepers and humanitarian agencies. Local sources said the city is now calm, though many residents have fled in recent days.
The takeover follows a political dispute between the federal government and the Southwest administration, which had recently severed ties with Mogadishu. Laftagareen had also been re-elected for another five-year term in a vote the federal authorities described as illegal.
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Somalia’s Information Minister, Daud Aweis, said the government welcomed the transition and urged calm, assuring that security forces would protect lives and property and prevent any retaliation during the ongoing political process.
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