Mogadishu, Somalia — The Federal Government of Somalia has begun deploying thousands of troops from the Haramac Special Police Force to key towns in the Southwest State, in a move that underscores escalating political tensions between federal and regional authorities.
According to officials, the first units departed from Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu early Thursday morning and are being sent to the town of Baraawe, the administrative capital of the Southwest State. Additional deployments are expected in Lower Shabelle and parts of the Bay region, including Buur-hakaba.
Sources within the Somali presidency told HM media that the troops are intended to reinforce existing federal military and security forces operating in the region. The deployment is part of a broader federal strategy to assert authority in Southwest regions amid an ongoing political dispute.
The move follows a deepening rift between the Federal Government and Southwest State President Abdiasis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. The dispute centers on constitutional amendments and the implementation of a one-person, one-vote electoral system—reforms that have long been contentious in Somalia’s political landscape. Laftagareen has reportedly boycotted both initiatives.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport, Abdikadir Mohamed Nur, publicly criticized Laftagareen and former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo in a post on social media, reflecting growing divisions among political leaders.
Unconfirmed reports from Villa Somalia suggest that the federal government may also be planning to convene a conference in Baraawe aimed at establishing a rival regional administration, potentially challenging the State leadership based in Baidoa.
