Puntland has said it will take political action to defend the president of the South West state of Somalia, after accusing the federal government of carrying out a blatant invasion of the region.
Puntland Vice President Ilyas Osman Lugatoor made the remarks at a conference in Garowe, accusing the central government of misusing the national army.
“The national army is being used to destroy the regional states,” Lugatoor said, adding that the current situation in the South West reflects political and legal confusion.
He said the country was going through a difficult period with a threat to both the legal and security situation, noting that the power of the army and the government system had been diverted for political gain.
Continuing his speech, Lugatoor said that the Digil and Mirifle clans had gone through difficult circumstances before, and they would not accept a similar situation again.
“Today we stand at a point where a political solution is needed. We want to save the country through politics, rather than by force,” he said.
Meanwhile, there has been no response from the Federal Government of Somalia to allegations that the national army is being used to invade the Southwest, specifically to forcefully oust President Lafta Gareen.
