By Hassan Adan
MOGADISHU– Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen resigned on Monday, hours after federal troops and armed groups aligned with regional opposition leaders entered Baidoa with limited resistance, following weeks of an intense political rift between the regional administration and Somalia’s federal government.
“Effective today, March 30, 2026, I, Mr. Abdicasiis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, resign as President of the Southwest State,” he said in a statement posted on his social media account, without elaborating further.
His departure came after units of the Somali National Armed Forces, backed by allied militias, took control of key installations in Baidoa, including the police station, major commercial centres and other strategic sites. Forces loyal to Laftagareen withdrew from parts of the city as federal troops advanced.
#NewsUpdate: #Somalia’s South West State President Abdicasiis Hassan Mohamed (#LaftaGareen) Resigns, Announces Decision on his Social Media pages.
The announcement comes amid ongoing political and security developments in the regional capital #Baidoa #Mogadishu #Somalia pic.twitter.com/IxvzKCYi0Y
— Frontier Online (@FrontierOnlineK) March 30, 2026
Shortly after the announcement, Finance Minister Ahmed Mohamed Hussein was named acting president. Authorities did not provide further details on the transition of power.
Residents reported sporadic gunfire as federal forces consolidated their presence, though the city appeared largely under their control by midday.
Earlier clashes on the outskirts of Baidoa left at least two people dead and 25 others wounded, according to local sources, although a full assessment of casualties and damage was not immediately available.
The resignation follows reports of a negotiated arrangement between Laftagareen and federal authorities that would allow him to leave Baidoa safely. His destination remains unclear.
The developments come just two days after the Southwest regional parliament re-elected Laftagareen for another term, a result swiftly rejected by the federal government in Mogadishu, deepening an already volatile standoff.
At the centre of the dispute are controversial constitutional amendments approved by Somalia’s federal parliament, extending the mandates of federal institutions from four to five years.
Several federal member states and opposition groups have rejected the changes, arguing they lack broad consensus and could undermine the country’s fragile federal structure.
Analysts say the takeover of Baidoa marks a significant escalation in tensions between the central government and regional authorities, raising concerns about further instability as Somalia grapples with political divisions and ongoing security challenges.
