Reports coming from Garowe, the capital of Somalia’s Puntland State says forces allied to opposition candidates have sealed off several neighbourhoods in the town and curtailed movement of people and vehicles.
It is not clear what motivated the deployment of the troops amid escalating tension in the regional State over the simmering electoral upheaval.
Opposition’s figures are yet to issue a statement over the development.
This comes a day after State President Said Abdullahi Deni called for political truce with the opposition figures to resolve the contentious election issue.
Deni called on commanders of the security forces implicated in the recent June skirmishes in Garowe to seek forgiveness from the people and embrace dialogue to iron out the election debacle.
” I urge the political figures to embrace dialogue and come to the table and share their ideologies and ready to engage with them in a legal and rational manner.” said Deni.
However, Deni has maintained his ground that the one- person- one vote election will be held in the region despite resistance from the key political and clan elders.
Opposition political candidates have however vehemently dismissed Deni’s statement, accused him of insincerity and misleading.