Lorries stranded as Puntland closes entry point of Northern Galkaayo

At least 30  lorries from southern parts of the country especially Mogadishu attempting to enter the semi-autonomous regional state of Puntland areas and those exiting Puntland have remained stuck at South and north of Galkaayo town which acts as  Puntland-Galmudug border following Puntland’s refusal to remove barriers at the entry point.

The Puntland officials said blockade of the movement of people and vehicles is aimed at keeping out armed men from Galmudug as well as dangerous Al Shabaab militants at bay.

Hundreds of Puntland forces have been deployed in northern part of Galkaayo town.

The people living on both sides of the town were also facing great difficulties because of the border closure.

Puntland declared the blockade after twin suicide attacks on northern Galkayo local government offices which claimed lives of over thirty people and wounded eighty others.

Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack, whose victims included schoolchildren.

Galkayo is divided into two zones, where the northern portion forms part of Puntland state, while its southern part is governed by the Galmudug administration.