US calls on Somalia to hold elections immediately

The United States called on Somalia Friday to hold elections right away and end a stalemate that Washington says is threatening the strife-torn Horn of Africa country.

Somalia missed a deadline to hold an election by February 8, when President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known by his nickname Farmajo, was due to step down, sparking a constitutional crisis in the already-fragile state.

A coalition of opposition candidates now consider the president to be illegitimate and want him to resign.

"The United States is deeply concerned by the electoral impasse in Somalia, which is creating political uncertainty that threatens security, stability, and development in the country," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

"We call on Somalia's federal and member state leaders to set aside narrow political objectives, uphold their responsibilities to the people of Somalia, and agree to immediately hold transparent and inclusive elections," Blinken added.

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