South West State Security Minister Calls on Kenya to Arrest and Extradite Laftagareen Over Baidoa Attack

South West State Security Minister Osman Isaaq Mohamed said on Thursday, August 22, 2026, that former Southwest State president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed 'Laftagareen' bears responsibility for the deadliest fighting in Baidoa since the SNA's March 2026 takeover of the city — the pre-dawn VBIED assault of August 17 that killed dozens of attackers and at least two to four civilians. Mohamed called on Kenyan authorities, where Laftagareen is believed to be based, to arrest him and hand him to Somalia through Interpol channels, warning that those who surrendered would be treated no differently than surrendering Al-Shabaab fighters. Laftagareen's spokesperson had separately claimed on Facebook — a claim that could not be independently verified and predates the extradition call — that his forces had captured Baidoa's city center. No Kenyan government official had responded publicly to the extradition request as of publication on August 23.