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Last Wednesday, more than 48 people, including Amina Mohamed Abdi, a member of the outgoing parliament were killed and 108 wounded in twin Al-Shabaab suicide explosions in the central city.

However, 40 seats remained unfilled in the three other states - Jubaland, Hirshabelle, Puntland. The government did not immediately comment. Somalia has battled a jihadist insurgency for 15 years.

Gedo dispute over 16 seats in Garbaharey city is a stumbling block as local people reject attempts by Jubaland state president Ahmed Madobe to move the election to El-Wak city or Kismayo under his rule.

Mohamed Mohamud Farey, a political observer in Mogadishu, said on Tuesday that a large number of presidential candidates will give the deciding joint session plenty of choices.

The country's leaders are under the US pressure to hold the election on its time and end their differences that tripled the state-building efforts.

The fresh conflict between armed clan militia and SNA came after VP Dabaged attempted to hijack some of the seats that he wanted to award his close allies in the city who are seeking re-election as MPs.

The election of the hop60 Lower House seat has been described as the most transparent, free, and fair competition at a time when corruption and vote-rigging are rampant in Somalia's current elections.

Somalia’s political leaders are under a pressure to accelerate parliamentary elections following the US imposition of a travel ban last month. The vote is slated to end on Feb 25 and extended to mid this month.

The training was attended by security officers who work on the Joint Operations and Centres (JOCs) and Women’s Situation Desks in Mogadishu and the federal member states.

Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble then brokered a new election timetable, but in the months that followed, a bitter rivalry between him and Farmajo derailed the process again.

Elections had been scheduled for a year ago but were delayed when President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed tried to extend his four-year term by two years, a move thwarted by parliament.

The Special Representative said that, since his last briefing in November 2021, election plans – first agreed earlier that year – have progressed considerably.