MOGADISHU (SD) – Members of Parliament belonging to the Federal Parliament of Somalia have directly accused the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) of being responsible for the severe fighting that took place over the past two days in the city of Baidoa, the capital of the Bay region.

The MPs stated that these clashes resulted from actions taken by the federal government, explicitly underlining that the FGS bears full responsibility for the damages caused by the fighting.

Senator Aadan Abdinaasir said they have proof that the federal government was aware of what was happening in Baidoa and that forces belonging to the government were being mobilized at the house of the FGS Minister of Livestock, Hasan Eelaay, where most of the fighting occurred.

The senator added that over the past two months, they had been advising these forces and requesting that they not engage in anything that could lead to instability.

Other MPs who spoke mentioned that there is currently a humanitarian crisis in the Southwest, and it is crucial that immediate aid is extended to the people, rather than initiating a pre-emptive war. They also stated that members of the federal government were behind the events in Baidoa and strongly condemned these actions.

The MPs sent condolences to the families of those who died in the fighting and wished a swift recovery to the injured.

Furthermore, these MPs, who are elected from the Southwest regions, reaffirmed their support for the President of the Southwest State, Abdiaziz Laftagareen, and the Southwest administration, stating that they are politically aligned with the leadership of that administration.

Over the past two days, heavy fighting took place in Baidoa, which the Southwest State administration stated ultimately resulted in the expulsion from the city of groups they described as armed bandits who were causing instability in Baidoa.

Federal MPs from the Southwest region are taking the extraordinary step of publicly accusing their own national government of instigating or being directly involved in violent clashes in a state capital.

The fighting is the result of a destabilizing move by the FGS, potentially an attempt to undermine the Southwest State administration. This is framed as a “pre-emptive war” started by the FGS, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis.

The accusations signify a breakdown of trust. MPs are openly choosing to align with their regional state president against the federal government, stating their political alignment is with the Southwest administration.

Publicly accusing the FGS of fomenting violence in a member state is a serious charge that damages the federal government’s legitimacy (whatever little is left) and its role as a neutral arbiter and security guarantor.

This incident fits a recurring pattern of tension between Mogadishu and federal states over control of security, resources, and political influence. Baidoa, as a strategic regional capital, is a key locus of this struggle.

Such public infighting at the federal level weakens national cohesion, potentially creating security vacuums that groups like Al-Shabaab could exploit.

In essence, this is more than a local security incident. It is a symptom of the unresolved and often contentious nature of Somalia’s federalism.

The competing narratives—”federal subversion” vs. “state-led federalism”—will continue to shape the political conflict, making national reconciliation and effective security cooperation even more challenging.