Nine dead after fighting erupts in Somalia's Puntland - witnesses

At least nine bodies and 12 injured people were brought to Garowe Public Hospital and most of them were civilians, Dr. Abdrisak Ahmed who works at the facility told Reuters. Three other witnesses described heavy fighting that broke out after opposition groups accused Puntland's leader, Said Abdullahi Deni, of seeking constitutional changes that would extend his term in office beyond January next year, or help tip the ballot in his favour.

At least nine people died after heavy fighting erupted on Tuesday in Garowe, capital of Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland, two witnesses told Reuters, as the local parliament debated changes to the voting system. At least nine bodies and 12 injured people were brought to Garowe Public Hospital and most of them were civilians, Dr. Abdrisak Ahmed who works at the facility told Reuters.

Three other witnesses described heavy fighting that broke out after opposition groups accused Puntland's leader, Said Abdullahi Deni, of seeking constitutional changes that would extend his term in office beyond January next year, or help tip the ballot in his favour. The Puntland government said on Facebook that the regional parliament had voted to consider amendments to the constitution, and that further debates and votes would take place.

Reuters was not immediately able to reach local or federal officials for comment on the violence in Puntland, which lies along the country's northeast Indian Ocean coast. "Fighting erupted immediately after the Puntland parliament voted for a one-man-one-vote election with multiple political parties," local elder Farah Osman said. "The lawmakers are still in the house, and a heavy exchange of fire is rocking the town. It is a very fierce battle.

"Garowe is full of opposing forces. All roads are closed, all business closed," Osman added. Another witness, Seinab Omar, a mother of three children, told Reuters she had seen at least two dead civilians and seven others who had bullet wounds. It was unclear whether the bodies and the injured victims Omar had seen were among those the doctor said had been brought to the hospital.

Shopkeeper Abdullahi Omar said he had closed his shop and run home. "Anti-aircraft guns and machine guns are raining down around Garowe today," he said. "Government forces and other troops and clan militias loyal to opposition politicians are fighting over politics."