A delegation led by Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gas arrived in Mogadishu on Thursday to attend a state funeral service that will be held for the late former Prime Minister of Somalia Abdirizak Hajji Hussein.
The former Somali Prime Minister passed away in a Minneapolis hospital last week after a battle with pneumonia. He led the country from 1964-67 during the civil administration.
Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh and other Federal Government officials welcomed the delegation at Mogadishu Airport, which the security was tightened following mortar attacks in two consecutive nights in the capital.
President Abdiweli was later on escorted to the Presidential Palace where he was received by the President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Both leaders had a closed door meeting which it’s still unclear what they discussed about.
It was the first time the Puntland leader visited the capital since he was elected last month.
Later on in a Press Conference, Mr Abdiweli Gaas denied that his visit to Mogadishu was driven by Political issues.
‘’ We came to Mogadishu to only attend the state funeral that will be held for the former Prime Minister, there is nothing beyond that’’, he told the reporters.
Relations between Puntland and Federal Government have been constrained for at least the past six months after the previous administration led by Abdirahman Farole accused the Mogadishu based government of adopting a “defective” constitution.
Ayub Abdirahman
Horseed Media
