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Somalia 'prime minister' resigns Somalia 'prime minister' resigns
(about 2 hours later)
A Somali official named prime minister by President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed last week has quit, saying his appointment was destabilising the government.A Somali official named prime minister by President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed last week has quit, saying his appointment was destabilising the government.
Mohamed Mahamud Guled said he had chosen to resign "so that I am not seen as a stumbling block to the peace process which is going well now".Mohamed Mahamud Guled said he had chosen to resign "so that I am not seen as a stumbling block to the peace process which is going well now".
Mr Guled was appointed in defiance of Somali MPs, who said the dismissal of Nur Hassan Hussein had been illegal.Mr Guled was appointed in defiance of Somali MPs, who said the dismissal of Nur Hassan Hussein had been illegal.
On Sunday, East African leaders imposed sanctions on President Abdullahi.On Sunday, East African leaders imposed sanctions on President Abdullahi.
The Inter-governmental Authority on Development (Igad) said the appointment of Mr Guled had been unconstitutional and gave its backing to Mr Nur. At a meeting in Addis Ababa, the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (Igad) said it would not recognise the unconstitutional appointment of Mr Guled, and gave its backing to Mr Nur.
The president said he sacked Mr Nur because his government had been "paralysed by corruption, inefficiency and treason" and had failed to bring peace. The grouping also called on other countries to take similar measures.
'Consultations'
Speaking to reporters in the town of Baidoa on Wednesday, Mr Guled said that "after evaluating the current situation", he had decided to resign as prime minister.
I want the government to remain in power and differences among its leaders to be sorted out Mohamed Mahamud Guled
"I stood down so that I am not seen as a stumbling block to the peace process which is going on well now," he added.
"I want the government to remain in power and differences among its leaders to be sorted out."
Responding to a question whether he initiated any projects during his short tenure, Mr Guled said that he had done nothing apart from engaging in "consultations that led to my resignation".
The former interior minister said he hoped the president would accept his decision, and that he would remain a member of parliament.
BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says Mr Guled's resignation further weakens the president, who had clashed in recent months with Mr Nur over attempts to negotiate a peace deal with the Islamist-led armed opposition.
Mr Abdullahi said he sacked the prime minister because his government had been "paralysed by corruption, inefficiency and treason" and had failed to bring peace.
However, Somalia's parliament declared the sacking illegal and passed a vote of confidence in Mr Nur by a huge majority the following day.However, Somalia's parliament declared the sacking illegal and passed a vote of confidence in Mr Nur by a huge majority the following day.
Torn by internal conflict, Somalia has been without an effective central government for more than 15 years. Nur Hassan Hussein said the president did not have the power to sack him
Mr Nur was appointed prime minister in November 2007 to replace Ali Mohamed Ghedi, who had clashed with the president after refusing to negotiate with armed Islamists and other opposition groups.
He was previously chairman of Somalia's Red Crescent Society.
The African Union and the UN secretary-general have both described the political in-fighting as disruptive to the peace process, currently under way in neighbouring Djibouti.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since President Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991.
Ethiopian troops intervened two years ago to oust Islamists from Mogadishu, and install the transitional government.
But it is now in disarray and only controls parts of the capital and the town of Baidoa after recent advances by different Islamist groups.
The "irrevocable" departure of the Ethiopian troops from the country over the coming weeks has added to fears of further instability.
On Monday, the African Union agreed to keep its small peacekeeping force in place for a further two months, but did not say how it would cover for the imminent Ethiopian withdrawal.