Puntland has demanded the immediate resignation of senior Somali National Army (SNA) and National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) officers.
President Said Abdullahi Deni issued a three-page statement on the current situation in Somalia.
In his statement, Deni recommends the immediate resignation of General Yusuf Rageh Odowaa, the Chief of the SNA.
He also asked that Fahad Yasin, the Director of NISA, should also leave office immediately.
Deni made these suggestions on February 24.
The Puntland regional state leader said that the two senior military and intelligence officials should resign for their role in last week’s deadly skirmishes in Mogadishu.
On February 19, government troops clashed with security officers loyal to opposition politicians.
The clashes took place in the area around the Unknown Soldier’s Monument.
Opposition politicians had planned to hold their anti-government rally at the Unknown Soldier’s Monument on Friday.
Deni and several prominent Somali politicians have blasted the government for the excessive use of force in dealing with opposition supporters.
They also asked the government to apologize to the citizens it brutalized last week.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that over 20 people were killed or injured in the skirmishes.
Puntland said these were some of the conditions the government must meet first before asking it to participate in FGS and Federal Member States (FMS) talks on elections.