HARGEISA (SD) – Somaliland’s Wadani opposition presidential candidate says he has survived an assassination attempt today at a prodemocracy rally in Hargeisa.

Wadani party candidate Abdirahman Irro and other senior officials said they survived an assassination attempt after Government forces vehicle tried to run them over.

The assassination attempt was foiled by the candidate’s security personnel, who in a desperate attempt fired warning shots at the armored vehicle, believed to be under the command of senior officers.

The Somaliland Police Force is partly funded and trained by the UK government, in an effort to fight extremism in the Horn of Africa.

However, these forces are regularly used for politically motivated attacks against the opposition and innocent civilians, according to civil rights activist.

Somaliland police on Thursday morning called off a protest rally organized by Somaliland opposition parties, injuring at least 10 people, mostly opposition officials.