News / Africa

Somali Lawmakers Draw Blood in Latest Fistfight

TEXT SIZE - +

For the second time in a week, Somali lawmakers traded punches on the floor of parliament amid a dispute over who holds the post of speaker.

Witnesses said lawmakers also wrestled and threw chairs at one another during Wednesday's brawl in Mogadishu. A photo taken at the scene showed a lawmaker bleeding from his neck after the fight.

Somali lawmakers first battled a week ago, after a group of them voted to remove Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan from power. The speaker's supporters said the vote was illegal, in part because it was held when he was out of the country.

The latest brawl happened when anti-Sharif Hassan lawmakers tried to set up a committee for electing a new speaker.

Somalia's transitional government has been plagued by years of infighting that have held back efforts to stabilize the war-ravaged country.

The country has endured 20 years of lawlessness and conflict since the fall of the last stable government.

You May Like

Video Star Trek Influence Lives Long and Prospers

As new movie thrills, many are once again discussing the iconic franchise's influence on society, science and technology More

OECD: Developing Green Cities Key to Sustainable Future

OECD suggests strategies to mitigate rapid growth, industrialization in urban centers, which produce about two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions More

Video Safe Rooms Saved Lives in Tornado Disaster

Safety experts say more safe rooms are needed in areas where tornadoes frequently strike More

This forum has been closed.
Comments
     
There are no comments in this forum. Be first and add one

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Video

Video Volunteers Help Revive LA's Concrete River

The Los Angeles River is a concrete drainage channel through much of its 80-kilometer length. It channels waste-water from storm drains and has become a receptacle for much of the city's trash. But as Mike O'Sullivan reports, the river is slowly being restored with the help of volunteers, who take part in an annual clean-up.