MOGADISHU (SD) – Somali federal government and Jubbaland state will soon expected to hold talks over Gedo region thanks to efforts by Galmudug leader Ahmed Abdi Kariye.

According sources close to Galmudug state leader, Kariye held hours long discussion with president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo over differences between Somali government and Jubbaland state.

Galmudug leader urged Farmajo to hold talks with Ahmed Mohamed Madobe to iron out issues of Gedo region.

The sources confirmed that President Farmajo accepted to scale down Gedo tension and to meet with Jubbaland leader.

The development comes comes barely hours after Federal Electoral Commission stated the need for political agreement between Somali federal government and Jubbaland state to hold elections in Gedo region.

Jubbaland state insisted that no elections will take place in Gedo region unless the Federal Government pulls out its troops.

The Federal Government deployed troops in Gedo early last year following a deterioration of relations with Jubbaland.

The forces engaged in a deadly fight with Jubbaland forces leading to deaths and displacement of locals into the Kenyan side.

The US rebuked Farmaajo for the deployment and called for withdrawal terming it a waste of resources needed to fight the militant group Al-Shabaab.