Somalia: Southwest State Accuses Federal Officials of Al-Shabaab Links

BAIDOA, Somalia — Authorities in Somalia’s Southwest State have accused senior federal officials of maintaining ties with the militant group Al-Shabaab and supplying weapons to local militias, a move that significantly deepens the political rift between the regional administration and the central government in Mogadishu.

The regional leadership in Baidoa alleged that federal ministers and lawmakers have been involved in organizing and arming groups currently operating in the Buurhakaba district of the Bay region.

Southwest State Security Minister Hassan Abdulkadir told reporters that these forces are not part of Somalia’s official security architecture, describing them instead as "specially organized militias" whose methods mirror those of extremist insurgents.

"These groups are not government forces," Abdulkadir said. "It is clear they are being used to undermine security and destabilize the regional administration."

The federal government in Mogadishu did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations.

The claims come just one day after Southwest State announced it was formally suspending all cooperation with the central government, citing "repeated interference" in its internal political and security affairs. Regional officials have accused the administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of attempting to weaken the leadership of Southwest President Abdiaziz Laftagareen.

The standoff has further rattled the country's security sector, with reports and social media footage suggesting that the Somali National Army’s 60th Division, headquartered in Baidoa, has expressed solidarity with the regional administration’s position over the federal government.

The dispute underscores the mounting strains within Somalia’s federal system. Southwest State’s decision to sever ties follows similar moves by the semi-autonomous regions of Puntland and Jubbaland, as regional leaders push back against proposed constitutional changes and the federal framework for upcoming elections.

GAROWE ONLINE