HARGEISA- Chaos rocked the Somaliland parliament today after sections of warring factions of MPs engaged in a brawl following the tabling of an amendment in the parliament chambers that would allow the registration of more political parties in the self- declared autonomous region of Somalia.

Sources privy to the unfoldings intimated to journalists that, the opposition parties of UCID and Waddani rejected the amendment tabled on the floor for debate by the Somaliland information minister Saleban Ali Koore on Sunday which allows the registration of new political parties.

Koore told the lawmakers that President Muse Bihi wants to introduce more new political parties reportedly to grant the agitation of the Somaliland citizens to have multipartism.

Somaliland has for a long time had only political three parties, UCID, Waddani and the ruling Kulmiye which are allowed by established laws and regulations however president Bihi wants the registration of more political parties as both parliamentary and presidential elections gets nearer.

Attempt by police officers led by the Somaliland head of the police force to arrest some parliamentaries flopped after their colleagues thwarted the attempts.

Calm has now been restored after hours of stand- off in the chambers between the MPs and police officers following the scuffle amongst the lawmakers.