Southwest State Suspends Relations with Federal Government, Accuses Mogadishu of 'Invasion'

Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen formally suspended relations with the Federal Government of Somalia, accusing Mogadishu of a 'blatant invasion' by deploying SNA special forces and airlifting militia into the region. Southwest State's parliament speaker alleged Egyptian-supplied rifles were being diverted to opposition militias in Burhakaba district rather than used for counter-Al-Shabaab operations. The federal government shut down all civilian air traffic to Baidoa; President Laftagareen returned via an Ethiopian military helicopter evading the blockade. Civil society group SONSA warned of civilian casualties and displacement from clashes in the Bay region.