By Horn Africa News
BOSASO – Units of the Puntland Darawiish forces on Wednesday morning blocked the main highway in the Kalabayr area of Bari region, protesting months of unpaid salaries.
The soldiers halted numerous cargo trucks traveling from Bosaso port to other regions, causing a major disruption in transport and trade.
Reports indicate that the mutinous troops, equipped with military vehicles, descended from their bases in the Calmiskaad mountains to stage the roadblock.
The soldiers are demanding that the Puntland government immediately pay their overdue wages and benefits, warning that they will not reopen the vital route until their grievances are addressed.
Commanders leading the protest said they had repeatedly submitted complaints and formal requests to the administration of President Said Abdullahi Deni but received no response. They stressed that the government’s inaction forced them to take the drastic step of shutting down the strategic highway linking Bosaso to other parts of Puntland.
The Puntland authorities have not yet issued an official statement on the soldiers’ protest. Meanwhile, the standoff has created a significant paralysis in transportation and economic activity across the region.
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