Wednesday March 25, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali National Army (SNA) on Tuesday dismissed reports that one of its helicopters had crashed in Baidoa, the interim capital of Southwest State, describing the claims as false and unverified.
In a statement, the SNA command said no such incident had occurred in Baidoa or its surrounding areas and urged the public and media outlets to rely on official military sources for accurate information.
Southwest State authorities also rejected the claims. The region’s Minister of Security, Hassan Abdulqadir Mohamed, said there was no evidence that any aircraft belonging to the federal government had been shot down or crashed in the Bay region.
“We have not shot down any aircraft belonging to the Somali government, and we have not seen any credible evidence of such an incident,” the minister said, dismissing reports circulating on social media.
Unverified reports had earlier suggested that Southwest security forces shot down a helicopter allegedly transporting federal troops to the Bay region, raising concerns about a possible escalation in tensions between federal and regional forces.
The denials come amid heightened political and security tensions between Mogadishu and Baidoa. Southwest State recently suspended ties with the federal government, accusing it of interference in regional affairs and undermining the federal system.
The dispute centers on disagreements over regional elections and constitutional amendments extending the mandate of federal institutions from four to five years.
