MOGADISHU (SD) – Somali government has hit back the newly formed National Salvation Forum (NSF), saying the formation of the council was unfortunate and a move intended to deteriorate the situation of the country.

Somali information minister, Osman Abukar Dubbe who spoke to media in Mogadishu has said the formation of the council is only meant to derail the process to hold elections in the country.

“The Somali people were shocked to hear of this development. They remember the previous alliances that had plunged this country into a deep abyss,” the minister said. “We are respectful of our elder statesmen, but we do not want to see them wandering around in anti-election coalitions.”

The minister urged the politicians to work with the government in the process to end the protracted differences over the electoral process.

Last Thursday, the country’s opposition leaders firmed the new alliance with two Federal Member State leaders who are fiercely opposed to President Mohamed Farmaajo.

The Council of Presidential Candidates (CPC) which comprises 15 presidential candidates announced the new alliance with Jubbaland and Puntland leaders following a meeting at the precincts of the Halane compound which houses the UN in Mogadishu.

According to a statement, the sides joined their hands after they realised that Farmaajo was a ‘hindrance’ to a political settlement to allow the country to go into elections.

On Saturday, in an open latter, NSF members urged Somalia’s international community to intervene to avert a political crisis.

“It would be very difficult to engage a peaceful dialogue unless Farmajo is caught accountable to his outrageous actions of aborting elections to happen,” the NSF said. “The security command can no longer under his Commander in Chief as he ostensibly uses for personal gains, henceforth, NSF calls for an immediate transition of security command from him prior to holding the summit.”