Amid a soaring division, Puntland leader defies Somali PM's invitation

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Amid a soaring division, Puntland leader defies Somali PM's invitation

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) The leader of Somali's northern-eastern state of Puntland, Said Abdullahi Deni has turned down an invitation from Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, to attend a state reception dinner hosted by the prime minister for th

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Puntland president Said Deni is seen standing next to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar during a reception dinner in Garowe on Sunday.

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) The leader of Somali's northern-eastern state of Puntland, Said Abdullahi Deni has turned down an invitation from Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, to attend a state reception dinner hosted by the prime minister for the visiting U.S Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in Mogadishu on Monday night.

According to presidential sources, Mr. Deni did not want to attend the dinner which took place at the Villa Somalia due to the soaring disagreements between him and prime minister Barre.

Jubbaland and Southwest state leaders joined the event, however.

"Mr. Deni was displeased with Villa Somalia. The division has not started today. This was something that was building up," said one of the sources. "Therefore., president Said Abdullahi Deni declined the invitation by the prime minister."

Relations between the federal government and many of the leaders of the federal state members have now reached at a low-point.

While Puntland and Galmudug leaders are facing intense pressure from Mogadishu, the Southwest state authorities, including the state's lawmakers, have recently blamed president Hassan Sheikh to have directly supported the armed violence in Baidoa which resulted at least 15 deaths including civilians.

The violence erupted last Friday after opposition groups disputed the term of the incumbent Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed (Laftagareen).

"It is an open secret that president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is providing money and weapons to the Southwest State opposition groups to carry out violence with the objective of instigating regime change," said a regional lawmaker, Mohamed Abdi.

Meanwhile, Puntland authorities were unhappy with the new leadership in Mogadishu. The always volatile relationship has turned soared in early December after a meeting between Deni and Hassan Sheikh in Mogadishu hit a deadlock.

Hassan Sheikh reportedly was hesitant to accept several demands by president Deni, according to Puntland sources. One of them was about the term of president Abdiaziz Laftagareen of Southwest and another one was about Puntland's role in the federal government. They could not agree on all of these points.