Somalia: Puntland celebrates 21 years of self-determination

GAROWE, Puntland – Somalia’s northeastern Puntland State has celebrated 21st anniversary with progress and self-governance since establishment on 1st August 1998, Garowe Online reports.

Under tight security, the President of Puntland government Said Abdullahi Deni has led the celebrations held at Barhada square in the capital, Garowe in commemoration of the historic state’s founding day.

Although almost every city in Puntland celebrated, Garowe was the hub of the anniversary celebrations.

Thousands of people, including women and students clad in national and Puntland flags, ecstatic bands and clapping crowds as well as Puntland forces marched through the streets and showed up the square.

In attendance were also Somali parliament speaker, Mohamed Mursal, officials from both Federal Government and Puntland state, security chiefs and traditional elders.

There were hundreds of troops from different units of Puntland army, including police and Custodial Corps paraded in the square, where most of the anniversary festivities took place on Thursday morning.

Somali PM Hassan Ali Khaire sent a message of congratulations to the Government of Puntland and its people on the occasion of state's founding Day, 21 years of self-governance.

The 21-years-old state has been regarded as one of the most peaceful regions in Somalia after it has avoided the clan conflict and Al-Shabab insurgency that damaged the south and central parts of the Horn of Africa nation.

GAROWE ONLINE