Ahmed Mohamed Hussein has been named through a decree as the interim president of Somalia’s Southwest State hours after President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen announced his resignation on Monday.
Prior to his appointment, Hussein was the Southwest State’s finance minister.
No further details on the transition have been made.
Clashes between fderal forces and troops loyal to the regional state erupted on Monday, leaving at least two people dead and 25 others wounded as the federal government in Mogadishu exert control of the state capital Baidoa with the help of local militias.
In a brief statement posted on his official Facebook page, Laftagareen said his resignation was effective immediately, without providing further details.
Laftagareen’s whereabouts remain unclear but earlier reports suggest he has moved into exile in Kenya.
Earlier in the day, forces of the Somali National Armed Forces, backed by allied militias, moved into Baidoa and reportedly took control of key installations, including the police station and major business centres, encountering limited resistance.
Regional forces loyal to Laftagareen were said to have fled Baidoa and surrounding areas.
According to local reports, strategic sites including the airport and the president’s headquarters remain under the control of African Union forces, including Ethiopian contingents, which have not intervened.
Laftagareen’s resignation comes two days after his re-election by the regional parliament, a result rejected by the federal government, deepening an already volatile standoff.
Disagreements between Mogadishu and Southwest State had already surfaced prior to the regional council’s election of Laftagareen.
The standoff has intensified in recent weeks, driven by disputes over constitutional amendments approved by Somalia’s federal parliament extending the mandates of federal institutions from four to five years.
MG/as/APA