Somali Holds First Mogadishu Local Election In 60 Years

Somali authorities imposed tight security on Thursday for the first direct elections held in the Mogadishu region for nearly 60 years, which were boycotted by opposition leaders.

Some 10,000 security forces were mobilised and the city airport was closed for the election seen as a test ahead of a presidential election next year in a country struggling to emerge from decades of conflict, an Islamist insurgency and frequent natural disasters.

AFP reports long queues outside some polling stations, but numbers had dwindled significantly by early afternoon.

Election commission chief Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan said in a statement that all stations had closed without incident at 1500 GMT. He said the count would start “soon” but did not say when results would be released.