Somali president condemns fighting between rival state forces

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Friday condemned renewed fighting between forces of Puntland state and those loyal to Galmudug state in the central Galkayo town, which killed at least five people.

"I am calling for an immediate stop to the ongoing fighting in Galkayo; existing conflict should be solved in peaceful dialogue. Somalia does not need another war with aimless bloodshed at the moment," the president said in a statement.

The statement comes after five people were killed and more than ten others injured in clashes between the rival state forces.

"It is unfortunate to solve issues with a gun point for issues which can be resolved in a peaceful manner," he said.

Galkayo is said to be divided into two districts, with the southern district governed by Galmudug and the northern one by Puntland.

It is reported the fighting erupted after the Puntland administration deployed forces to a construction site in Galkayo's Garsoor neighborhood, which is said to be under its control.

Several residents have since fled their homes for fear that the clashes could escalate.

The fighting came barely a week after a U.S. airstrike killed at least 13 soldiers of Galmudug forces on the outskirts of Galkayo. The Galmudug administration accused Puntland state of providing wrong information that made the U.S. forces believe they were targeting Al-Shabaab militants. Endit