“The people of the Southwest state have taken control of Baidoa, signalling demand for accountability. The Federal Government of Somalia remains committed to stability, protecting lives and property, and ensuring no persecution or retaliation”

“Somalia’s Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism said in a message read out on national television that 'the former Southwest state administration … created political conflict'. It said federal forces had been welcomed in Baidoa on Monday”

“Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi, reporting from Nairobi, Kenya, said the dispute comes ahead of a highly contentious national election due this year. 'Somalis were promised a one-man, one-vote election after decades of not exercising their rights, but there have been many logistical and security challenges,' she said. 'What’s on the table now is that voters elect MPs, who in turn, vote in the president. And that’s where much of the problem comes in, because regional leaders and some opposition groups are worried that the president could rig the election,' Soi added. She noted that amendments backed by the federal government to the Constitution have been 'very unpopular', and there’s a lot of mistrust among leaders”