Puntland Region of Somalia Cuts Off Ties With Central Government

Says the nascent government's not taking the federalist system seriously

Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region said on Monday it had cut all ties with the central government in a likely setback to efforts to pacify the Horn of Africa country as it emerges from two decades of conflict.

Puntland accused the Mogadishu government of refusing to share power and foreign aid with the regions in line with the country's federal structure, as well as taking its eye off the fight against al-Qaeda-linked Islamist militants.