Puntland to Operate Independently From Somalia After Law Change
- Regional council says federal constitution illegally replaced
- Council wants referendum on changes to Somali constitution
Boys play football in an empty lot in Garowe, the capital of Puntland.
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The oil-rich, semiautonomous region of Puntland said it will operate as a state that’s independent from Somalia until changes to the Somali constitution adopted on Saturday are approved via a popular referendum.
The federal government in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, “illegally replaced” the constitution with a new one that has “ulterior motives,” Puntland’s Council of Ministers said. Its statement followed a meeting Sunday where it announced it plans to withdraw from the federation.