Farmaajo-Roble row: No deal in talks but sides open communication lines

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Mediation talks between outgoing President Mohamed  Farmaajo and Prime Minister Mohamed Roble hit a snag Saturday after rounds which lasted more than 10 hours at the intervention of South West and Galmudug presidents.

President Ahmed Qoorqoor (Galmudug) and his South West state counterpart Abdiasis Lafta Gareen, both of whom are Farmaajo allies led the talks between Farmaajo and Roble Saturday but it emerged the two warring sides stood ground on their positions.

Sources said while Farmaajo maintained that his appointment of NISA boss Colonel Abdullahi Mohamud was not open to discussion and that the Ikran Farah case should not head to the military court, Roble also held ground that he was in charge of the transition and that his appointment of General Bashir Gobe was in order.

Following the disagreements, sources said the two sides agreed to form joint committees to further deliberate on the unresolved issues. They also agreed to open communication lines.

UN head in Somalia James Swan met with Farmaajo on Thursday but there was no word from the meeting.