Puntland Vice President Ahmed Karash sacked on Tuesday two regional ministers following a decision to deny Somalia’s deputy speaker of parliament permission to visit the coastal town of Bosaso, which triggered deadly clashes on Monday.
A flight carrying humanitarian aid and the deputy speaker of Somali parliament Sa’diya Samatar was forced to return to Mogadishu with all those on board and a relief shipment. Nearly 20 soldiers were killed in a fierce gunfight that followed the move after a counter-terrorism force attempted to step in and escort Sa’diya from the airport.
In response to the move, the regional deputy president, who has long been in a power struggle with Puntland president Saeed Deni, fired the Ministers of Aviation Hussein Osman Lugator and Sea Transport Ahmed Yasin Salah.