Bossaso (SD) – Reports from Bossaso, the capital of Bari region say that efforts are underway to win over the PSF officers who are protesting against the dismissal of the former commander.

Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has reportedly made promises to some PSF officers to withdraw from the battlefield and join the Puntland forces.

According to reports, Colonel Abdirahman Mohamed Ilig, the former Deputy Commander of the PSF, defected from the sacked PSF commander’s camp and joined the Puntland forces under President Deni.

Puntland Presidency sent a large contingent of troops to the port city of Bossaso, the capital of Puntland’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland, in its efforts to disband the rebellious officers and their forces in parts of that city and to put pressure on their commander who refused to step down.

There are still fears of fighting erupting between the PSF forces led by ousted commander Jen Diyano and other Puntland forces under President Deni in Bossaso.