Wednesday April 1, 2026
Baidoa (HOL) — Commercial flights to Somalia’s Southwest State resumed Tuesday after a nearly two-week suspension, a day after federal forces secured full control of Baidoa, the region’s administrative capital.
The reopening of air travel signals a fragile return to normalcy following intense fighting that led to the resignation of Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen and triggered a new political transition in the region.
His delegation includes Minister of Religious Affairs Mukhtar Robow and Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali Hosh, both expected to play key roles in organizing the formation of a new Southwest administration.
Adan Maalim Ibrahim, a local air travel agent, confirmed that operations at Baidoa’s airport had resumed.
“Bookings began last night, and flights have restarted,” describing the airport as one of the busiest in the country.
Commercial flights were suspended on March 18 amid escalating tensions between Mogadishu and the Southwest administration. During the shutdown, only United Nations and African Union aircraft were permitted to operate for humanitarian and official missions.
The crisis in Southwest State stems from a broader political dispute between the federal government and several regional administrations over constitutional amendments extending the mandates of federal institutions from four to five years. The changes have been rejected by Southwest, Puntland and Jubbaland, which accuse Mogadishu of undermining Somalia’s federal system.
The federal takeover of Baidoa on Monday marked a dramatic escalation in the standoff, raising concerns among observers about the stability of the Horn of Africa nation.
Local people say the resumption of flights and the arrival of federal officials indicate efforts to restore governance and stability in the region, even as political tensions continue to shape Somalia’s uncertain electoral and constitutional landscape.
