File Photo/Somali Times
The United States has strongly opposed today’s clashes in the port city of Bosaso, the capital of Bari region, between PSF and Puntland forces. A statement from the US Embassy in Mogadishu called for an immediate end to the fighting in Bosaso and a return to the negotiating table.
“We call for an immediate cease fire of hostilities in Bosaso and for a return to dialogue to find a negotiated peaceful solution. Continued fighting will only cause further damage to Bosaso and its people,” the US Embassy in Mogadishu said in a statement.
The United States has previously expressed concern that tensions between the PSF and Warlord Said Deni could escalate into a full-blown war, as this morning in Bosaso, which could divert troops from the war on terror.
The PSF is trained by the United States to fight terrorism, which means that the United States is very interested in this and must intervene.
According to Somali diplomat told Somali Times, the US Embassy has twice spoken to warlord Puntland Said Abdullahi Deni since the crisis between PSF officials, ordering a non-violent solution.
Warlord Deni appears to have ignored a request from the US Embassy in Somalia to avoid what happened in Bosaso this morning, but has opted to implement a decree dismissing the director general.
The PSF and Puntland forces loyal to Deni have been fighting for hours in Bosaso today, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides.
The fighting started in the early hours of this morning in Bosaso, killing three people, two of them civilians.
Six Puntland soldiers were reportedly wounded, while the PSF wounded eight others. The number of civilians injured in the fighting is estimated at seven.