Sunday May 3, 2026
Nairobi (HOL) — Former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen has insisted he remains the legitimate leader of the administration, saying he plans to return to the region after the end of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term on May 15, 2026.
Speaking in an interview in Nairobi this week, his first public remarks since March 30, Laftagareen addressed the political situation in South West State and his controversial departure from Baidoa.
“As you know, I am the legitimate President of the South West, and I was legally elected,” he said. “I was re-elected on March 28, so I am the President of the South West.”
He added that he intends to return to the region 13 days after the expiry of the federal president’s term, signaling a potential escalation in the ongoing political dispute.
Laftagareen also denied authoring a resignation letter that posted on his social media prior to his departure to Nairobi, where he is currently based. He said the letter was issued under duress, claiming the move was made to protect his life and that General Mahad Abdirahman, a former custodial corps chief who was placed under house arrest in Mogadishu before being released without charge.
Explaining his exit from Baidoa, Laftagareen said he had been under sustained military pressure for nearly two months, which he described as a “direct and overwhelming intervention.” He alleged that federal forces deployed significant resources, including military vehicles and aircraft, and entered the city through an unexpected route after aerial reconnaissance of South West defensive positions.
According to Laftagareen, he ordered his forces not to engage in combat to avoid civilian casualties in Baidoa, which he said has a population of more than one million people.
“What was targeted was not just me, but the South West administration,” he said, accusing federal authorities of undermining regional autonomy.
He called on residents of South West State to remain patient, expressing confidence that “better days are coming” and suggesting that political efforts to reclaim leadership would continue.
The remarks come as Somalia’s national electoral authorities prepare for South West State elections. Opposition groups have accused the federal government of interfering in the regional electoral process, arguing that it should be managed by the state’s own institutions.
