MOGADISHU, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Somalia and international partners on Wednesday appealed for calm and restraint after at least 10 people were killed in fighting between the Puntland State government and opposition one day ago.
In separate statements, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and international partners including the European Union, African Union and the United Nations expressed concern about the fighting which erupted in Garowe, the capital of Puntland State, and its impact on civilians.
"The partners call for the immediate de-escalation of tensions and a return to calm. We call on all political stakeholders to engage in dialogue as the only avenue to address and resolve differences," the partners said in a joint statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
The international partners said the recent escalation risks jeopardizing the positive outcomes secured following the recent district council elections in Puntland.
The fighting erupted Tuesday amid a dispute between Puntland's leader Said Abdullahi Deni and opposition over changes to the constitution.
Abdi appealed for both sides to reconcile their differences through dialogue.
"There is a need to resolve all disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding," he said, noting that Puntland was the home of peace.
