Somalia: Federal Troops Advance Toward Baidoa as Southwest State heads to election 

BAIDOA, Somalia — Tensions spiked in southern Somalia on Saturday as federal government forces began advancing from the town of Buurhakaba toward regional defenses outside Baidoa, signaling a potential military confrontation over a deepening electoral dispute with the Southwest State.

The movement follows the deployment of approximately 2,000 federal soldiers to Buurhakaba. Some of these units transitioned from the Lower Shabelle region, reportedly passing through territories held by militant groups without encountering resistance, a development that has drawn sharp focus from regional observers.

The military maneuver comes as the Southwest State administration prepares to finalize its local electoral process, a move that has been explicitly rejected by the federal government in Mogadishu, known as Villa Somalia. The central government has been pushing for a unified national electoral model that several regional states have resisted.

Sources on the ground indicate that the federal government intends to test its military leverage within the next 48 hours. In response, Southwest State security forces have been placed on high alert, reinforcing primary defensive lines located just outside the city limits of Baidoa.

Military officers and political officials in Baidoa have remained defiant, stating they possess the capability to repel any incursion. "We are in the final stages of our defensive preparations," a senior regional official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We are ready to defend our administrative autonomy against any unauthorized military movement."

The standoff represents a significant escalation in the ongoing power struggle between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration and regional leaders. As both sides prepare for a potential test of strength, the risk of internal conflict threatens to further destabilize a region already facing persistent security challenges.

GAROWE ONLINE