LAS ANOD, Somalia — Abdulkadir Ahmed Aw-cali (Firdhiye) leads the first round of the North-East election with 36 votes.
His closest rival, Abdirisak Khalif, secured 20 votes. Other candidates eliminated include Jamaal Mohamed Hassan, Abdirashid Macallin Farah, and Mahamud Yusuf Hassan.
The second round will see Firdhiye and Khalif compete for the leadership of the North-East administration. The vote continues in Las Anod.
The race for the vice-presidency will follow, with five candidates running: Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril (Abwaan), Omar Dahir Hassan, and others.
Security measures have been tightened in Las Anod, with a curfew imposed to ensure public safety during the election process. Military forces are monitoring key locations.
