Gunmen take over Eyl District Council Hall

[Deeq A.]

Eyl (PP News Desk) — The plan to elect Eyl district council chairman and deputy today hit an unexpected snag after gunmen took over the district hall.

The newly elected councillors were preparing to conduct the historic voting seven months after Puntland State conducted the first pilot local government elections at three districts.

Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission staff at an Eyl polling station during the pilot local elections in October 2021.

A rift between members of Kaah political association councillors along subclan lines reportedly resulted in power struggle that threatens to nip the nascent democratization process in the bud. Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni chairs Kaah political association.

One person was injured during the violent occupation of Eyl district hall, where police men guarding the site were overwhelmed by the firepower of the gunmen.

© Puntland Post, 2022

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