Baidoa (WDN) – Somalia’s political crisis deepened on Monday after the office of former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed (Laftagareen) issued a strongly worded statement accusing the Federal Government of carrying out extensive military operations around Baidoa using Turkish-supplied military aircraft and equipment.
The statement, released during the inauguration of South West’s new leadership, alleged that unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and helicopters, F-16 fighter aircraft, were deployed over areas surrounding Baidoa, resulting in civilian casualties, injuries, and damage to private property. WardheerNews has not independently verified these allegations.
The former South West administration described the operations as a “full-scale assault” allegedly ordered by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, whose constitutional legitimacy it continues to challenge.
One of the most striking claims in the statement concerned the alleged use of military equipment supplied by Turkey. According to Laftagareen’s office, Turkish-provided military assets were used during security operations in and around Baidoa, prompting renewed calls for Ankara to reassess how its military assistance is utilized.
The statement appealed directly to the Turkish government to ensure that its military support is not used in Somalia’s internal political disputes or in operations that could place civilians at risk.
“Turkey has been one of Somalia’s closest strategic partners for more than a decade,” the statement argued, “and its assistance should remain focused on strengthening Somalia’s security institutions and combating terrorism—not becoming a source of controversy in domestic political conflicts.”
Laftagareen’s office also called on the United Nations, the African Union, IGAD, the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom to closely monitor the evolving security and humanitarian situation in the Bay Region and to support efforts aimed at protecting civilians.
The former administration concluded by reaffirming what it described as its commitment to protecting the lives and dignity of the people of South West State, defending the region’s constitutional institutions, and preserving the federal system.
Turkey has consistently stated that its military cooperation with Somalia is intended to strengthen the country’s security capacity and support the fight against Al-Shabaab. The Turkish government has not publicly commented on the allegations contained in the statement, and the Federal Government of Somalia has likewise not responded publicly to the accusations at the time of publication.
WardheerNews