Leaders from Puntand and its neighboring Galmudug state agreed to observe a ceasefire deal on Monday to end a deadly conflict which killed at least 20 people since last week.

Somalia’s Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke who helped broker the peace deal said that the two sides agreed to cease hostilities and pull military out of the battlefields and swap prisoners.

 

 "We are very pleased to have enabled solving the conflict and the two sides committed themselves to honor the deal.” Mr. Sharmarke said at a press conference in Galkayo town.

As parts of the initial ceasefire instigation, Galmudug authorities handed over prisoners captured the fighting which displaced hundreds of residents from their homes.

 

Under the deal which was reached after hours of talks that dragged late Monday envisages setting up a combined task force that would help solving the crisis.

 

The clashes that involved trucks mounted with machine guns and anti-aircraft rockets erupted after an argument involving the construction of a new road by Puntland in the town, which was halted by Galmudug forces.

 

"While we are honoring the deal, we have handed over prisoners captured during the war to the Somali prime minister.” said Abdikarim Hussein Guled, Galmudug president.

 

The development is a major breakthrough which officials said could help ending the clashes that risked leading to clannish warfare in a country which is recovering from decades of civil war.

 

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