BAIDOA – The leader of Somalia’s South West State, Abdiaziz Laftagareen, issued a stark warning to the federal government on Monday, vowing a “severe” military response to any perceived aggression amid a deepening election standoff.
The comments mark a dangerous escalation in the constitutional crisis between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s central administration and the regional leadership in Baidoa.
“Any attack on Baidoa or South West State territory will be met with an appropriately severe military response,” Laftagareen said in a televised statement.
The regional president accused Villa Somalia of mobilizing forces to influence local politics, urging the federal leader to focus on a peaceful transition as his term nears its conclusion.
“I urge President Hassan Sheikh to use the remainder of his short time in office not to spill Somali Somali blood, but to help find a solution for a credible election process,” he added.
Tensions have been simmering for weeks over the electoral roadmap for South West State, with local leaders accusing the federal government of attempting to bypass regional autonomy.
Observers fear that a military confrontation could undermine the ongoing fight against Al-Shabaab and destabilize the fragile security gains made in the Horn of Africa nation.
The federal government has yet to officially respond to Laftagareen’s remarks, but the rhetoric has already sparked concerns among international partners who are calling for immediate dialogue to avert a civil conflict.
