Somalia: Somaliland appoints fact-finding committee to resolve crisis

HARGEISA, Somalia Aug 30 (Garowe Online) - A meeting held in Somalia’s breakaway republic of Somaliland has concluded with the naming of a new fact-finding committee, Radio Garowe reports.

Mr. Abdirahman Mohamed “Irro,” Speaker of Somaliland’s House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, told reporters Sunday that the 14-member fact-finding committee consists of government and opposition members.

“This committee will work for two days and issue decisions to resolve the political crisis,” Speaker Irro said in Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland.

Somaliland police units patrolled the streets near the parliament building, as lawmakers met inside a day after troops prevented lawmakers from entering the parliament building in a move seen as escalation of the crisis. READ: Somaliland troops ‘seize parliament,’ UK mediator arrives

Separately, Somaliland MP Ibrahim Mahdi Buubaa told reporters that local police "opened fire" to disperse civilians, who had gathered around the parliament building.

There were no reports of injuries, however.

Located in northwestern Somalia, Somaliland's leaders unilaterally declared independence from the rest of the Horn of Africa country in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally.