A bloody skirmish erupted in Garowe, the capital of Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland, on Tuesday as the local parliament was engaged in a debate over alterations to the voting system. The clashes resulted in at least 36 fatalities, with 16 soldiers among the dead, and left 30 others injured, as reported by Dr Abdirsak Ahmed of Garowe Public Hospital.
Witnesses described intense fighting that followed accusations from opposition factions against Puntland’s President, Said Abdullahi Deni, of attempting to manipulate constitutional amendments to either extend his tenure beyond January or sway the election in his favour.
The government of Puntland stated on Facebook that the regional parliament has resolved to consider amendments to the constitution and that further discussions and votes are to be expected.
Local elder, Farah Osman, described the situation as “a very fierce battle” and stated, “Fighting erupted immediately after the Puntland parliament voted for a one-man-one-vote election with multiple political parties.”
Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, urgently appealed to the conflicting parties to seek reconciliation through dialogue instead of violence. “Puntland was the home of peace and after 20 years of having a government, it is unacceptable to have a war breaking out in its capital,” he asserted.
Why clashes in Puntland are fairly common
Puntland, an arid yet oil-rich region situated on Somalia’s northeastern coast, has maintained a delicate autonomous status since 1998, often straining its relationship with the central government in Mogadishu.
Shopkeeper Abdullahi Omar recounted the terror, “Anti-aircraft guns and machine guns are raining down around Garowe today. Government forces and other troops and clan militias loyal to opposition politicians are fighting over politics. I closed my shop and ran home.”
According to Abdiweli Hassan, a police officer stationed in Garowe, the upheaval commenced when armed men loyal to the opposition challenged security forces safeguarding the parliament in a bid to disrupt the session. Civilians were among the casualties, he confirmed.
Hassan later added, “They have been defeated and the situation in town is calm now. No one will be allowed to act above the law.”
Puntland is one among several autonomous and semi-autonomous regions within Somalia, a nation that has not seen full centralised governance for decades. The recent clashes add to the complex milieu of clan rivalries and historical grievances that have plagued the nation.
The situation remains precarious, with regional instability affecting not only Puntland but also Somaliland, another autonomous area engaged in disputes with Puntland over the city of Las Anod.
The international community closely watches the developments in Puntland and Somalia at large, with hopes for stability and peaceful resolutions to the political tensions.
Image Credit: AFP
