MOGADISHU, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Four Somali presidential candidates will progress to the second round of voting after the first one ended without any candidate garnering two-thirds of the votes cast, or 219 votes required to win the polls on Sunday.
The first round of the voting ended with Puntland State President Said Deni leading with 65 votes followed by incumbent Mohamed Farmajo, who garnered 59 votes, according to the joint committee that is organizing the elections.
Former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud came in third with 52 votes while former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire received 47 votes, the committee announced.
According to the electoral commission, the first four presidential candidates will proceed to the second round of voting in an exercise that attracted 35 candidates.
The voting, the most competitive in the history of Somalia, is taking place under tight security in and around Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.
Earlier, three mortar shells landed near the venue of the presidential elections although no injuries were reported.
Somalia has already missed several deadlines to hold the elections due to disputes over the composition of electoral bodies, insufficient funds, insecurity, and political mistrust among leaders. ■