Two vehicles transporting ballot papers hijacked in Sool region

Two vehicles carrying ballot papers for the upcoming Somaliland elections have been hijacked by unidentified gunmen in Sool region.

The two vehicles were transporting boxes of ballot papers to Holol constituency in the outskirt Las-Anod town.

“It is unlikely that the perpetrators were aware the boxes contained ballot papers as the vehicles and boxes are unmarked,” Somaliland electoral commission said.

Somaliland, former colony of Britain scheduled to hold presidential elections march next year.

In March this year, tension mounted in the region after the breakaway region of Somaliland deployed hundreds of troops and battle wagons in the region which parts of it is controlled by Khatumo state.

Despite lacking an international recognition, Somaliland which runs its own parallel government and army considers itself as an independent state after it declared a unilateral independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991.