A local leader announced that armed factions in Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland agreed on a ceasefire on Wednesday, following a day in which at least 26 people were killed and 30 others were injured in clashes over proposed changes to the electoral system in the state. Local leaders stated that they contributed to the negotiations to halt the fighting on Wednesday. Residents reported that the gunfire had ceased, fighters had left the streets, and shops had reopened.
Aslan Issa, a local leader in Garowe, confirmed at a press conference, "We spoke to both warring parties in Garowe, and they agreed to ceasefire and we separated the forces." Opposition groups in Puntland, which faces the Indian Ocean and is located in northeastern Somalia, accuse state President Said Abdullahi Deni of seeking constitutional amendments that would extend his term beyond next January or help tilt the balance in his favor in upcoming elections. Deni has not commented on the allegations.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called late Tuesday for both sides to cease fighting and return to the negotiation table. Intense battles erupted between state forces and opposition fighters in Galkayo, the capital of Puntland on Tuesday, as the local parliament discussed constitutional amendments including a transition to a direct electoral system.
