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| Somalia's president quits office | Somalia's president quits office |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Somalia's President Abdullahi Yusuf has told parliament he has resigned - a move which adds to the chaos in the country as Ethiopian troops withdraw. | Somalia's President Abdullahi Yusuf has told parliament he has resigned - a move which adds to the chaos in the country as Ethiopian troops withdraw. |
| Mr Yusuf's resignation follows a power struggle with Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein, who parliament backed after Mr Yusuf tried to sack him. | Mr Yusuf's resignation follows a power struggle with Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein, who parliament backed after Mr Yusuf tried to sack him. |
| Ethiopian soldiers, who support the government, are due to pull out this week, raising fears of a power vacuum. | Ethiopian soldiers, who support the government, are due to pull out this week, raising fears of a power vacuum. |
| Various Islamist and nationalist groups control most of southern Somalia. | Various Islamist and nationalist groups control most of southern Somalia. |
| The president had clashed in recent months with Mr Nur over attempts to negotiate a peace deal with the Islamist-led armed opposition. | The president had clashed in recent months with Mr Nur over attempts to negotiate a peace deal with the Islamist-led armed opposition. |
| I congratulate the president for the bold step he has taken Aden Mohamed Nur Speaker of parliament href="/1/hi/world/africa/7803413.stm">Somalia facing further power struggle | |
| Some diplomats suggest that Mr Yusuf's resignation might enhance the prospects of a deal with moderate Islamists. | Some diplomats suggest that Mr Yusuf's resignation might enhance the prospects of a deal with moderate Islamists. |
| BBC Somali service editor Yusuf Garaad says the president's departure has removed one obstacle to peace but it is unclear what happens next, especially if the government collapses altogether. | BBC Somali service editor Yusuf Garaad says the president's departure has removed one obstacle to peace but it is unclear what happens next, especially if the government collapses altogether. |
| Mr Yusuf is reported to have flown out of Baidoa, where parliament is based, to his home region - the semi-autonomous area of Puntland in the north. | Mr Yusuf is reported to have flown out of Baidoa, where parliament is based, to his home region - the semi-autonomous area of Puntland in the north. |
| Under the constitution, speaker of parliament Aden Mohamed Nur becomes acting president until a new leader is named within the next 30 days. | Under the constitution, speaker of parliament Aden Mohamed Nur becomes acting president until a new leader is named within the next 30 days. |
| Mr Yusuf was chosen by MPs four years ago at the end of a long process that was supposed to bring peace to Somalia, which has not had an effective national government since 1991. | Mr Yusuf was chosen by MPs four years ago at the end of a long process that was supposed to bring peace to Somalia, which has not had an effective national government since 1991. |
| But government forces only control parts of the capital, Mogadishu, and the town of Baidoa. | But government forces only control parts of the capital, Mogadishu, and the town of Baidoa. |
| 'Positive step'' | 'Positive step'' |
| Mr Nur said he had accepted the president's resignation. | Mr Nur said he had accepted the president's resignation. |
| "I congratulate the president for the bold step he has taken in respect of the transitional federal charter," the AFP news agency reports him as saying. SOMALIA'S WOES 3m need food aid - a third of the population1m displacedGovernment only controls BaidoaIslamist groups control much of southern SomaliaNo effective government since 1991Piracy on the rise href="/1/hi/world/africa/7760271.stm">Ethiopia's Somalia dilemma class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7722701.stm">Somalis grow fearful of Islamists | |
| Ethiopian government spokesman Bereket Simon told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that Mr Yusuf's departure was a "positive step". | Ethiopian government spokesman Bereket Simon told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that Mr Yusuf's departure was a "positive step". |
| But he said Ethiopia had had nothing to do with the decision and it would not affect plans for Ethiopian troops to leave Somalia. | But he said Ethiopia had had nothing to do with the decision and it would not affect plans for Ethiopian troops to leave Somalia. |
| The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says no-one has publicly declared their candidature to succeed Mr Yusuf. | The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says no-one has publicly declared their candidature to succeed Mr Yusuf. |
| He told MPs in Baidoa: "As I promised when you elected me on October 14, 2004, I would stand down if I failed to fulfil my duty, I have decided to return the responsibility you gave me." | He told MPs in Baidoa: "As I promised when you elected me on October 14, 2004, I would stand down if I failed to fulfil my duty, I have decided to return the responsibility you gave me." |
| In his speech, broadcast on national radio, he said: "When I took power I pledged three things. | In his speech, broadcast on national radio, he said: "When I took power I pledged three things. |
| "If I was unable to fulfil my duty I will resign. Second, I said I will do everything in my power to make government work across the country. That did not happen either. | "If I was unable to fulfil my duty I will resign. Second, I said I will do everything in my power to make government work across the country. That did not happen either. |
| "Third, I asked the leaders to co-operate with me for the common good of the people. That did not happen," he said, according to Associated Press news agency. | "Third, I asked the leaders to co-operate with me for the common good of the people. That did not happen," he said, according to Associated Press news agency. |
| Last week, Mohamed Mahamud Guled, who Mr Yusuf tried to install as prime minister, resigned saying his appointment was destabilising the government. | Last week, Mohamed Mahamud Guled, who Mr Yusuf tried to install as prime minister, resigned saying his appointment was destabilising the government. |
| Mr Yusuf had faced criticism for appointing Mr Guled in defiance of Somali MPs, who overwhelmingly rejected the dismissal of his predecessor. | Mr Yusuf had faced criticism for appointing Mr Guled in defiance of Somali MPs, who overwhelmingly rejected the dismissal of his predecessor. |
| Mr 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 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". |
| The regional grouping, Igad, which brokered the talks leading to Mr Yusuf's election, this month imposed sanctions on him, calling him an obstacle to peace. | The regional grouping, Igad, which brokered the talks leading to Mr Yusuf's election, this month imposed sanctions on him, calling him an obstacle to peace. |
| Fighting between the Ethiopia-backed government and the insurgents has left some one million people homeless and much of Mogadishu deserted. | Fighting between the Ethiopia-backed government and the insurgents has left some one million people homeless and much of Mogadishu deserted. |
| Some three million people - a third of the population - need food aid. | Some three million people - a third of the population - need food aid. |
| And the lack of leadership has led to a surge in piracy off the Somali coast. | And the lack of leadership has led to a surge in piracy off the Somali coast. |
| A small African Union peacekeeping force is based in Mogadishu but analysts say they would be unable to withstand an Islamist advance. | A small African Union peacekeeping force is based in Mogadishu but analysts say they would be unable to withstand an Islamist advance. |
| The UN has rejected calls to send its own mission to Somalia. | The UN has rejected calls to send its own mission to Somalia. |