Laftagareen Spokesman Downplays Defections as Government Claims Major Blow to Rebel Forces

Baidoa (WDN) – A spokesman for forces loyal to former South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen has dismissed the latest defections from the movement as insignificant, while Somalia’s Federal Government says the surrender of a senior commander and scores of fighters marks a major setback for the insurgency.

Speaking in a video statement, Ugaas Hassan Abdi, a former spokesman for the South West administration who now represents the Laftagareen-aligned movement, sought to minimize the impact of the reported defections.

“South West State is bigger than individuals who have been misled or those who have betrayed their own people,” he said. Despite the reported losses, Hassan insisted the movement remained intact and vowed that Laftagareen’s forces would continue their offensive until they captured Baidoa, the regional capital.

Ugaas Hassan