Government riven by divisions as Islamist insurgents take control over large parts of the country including much of Mogadishu.
Somalia's prime minister, Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, resigned today, paying the price for the government's failure to rein in an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands of civilians.
Thousands of African Union (AU) peacekeeping troops have been sent to support the interim administration, but hardline militants now control much of Somali capital, Mogadishu, and huge chunks of the country's south and central regions.
The country's transitional federal government (TFG) has been beset by internal divisions. Observers say these have slowed government business to a crawl.
"After considering the political crisis in the government and increasing insecurity in Somalia, I have decided to resign from my post as prime minister," Sharmarke told reporters, flanked by the president, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.
Ahmed said he welcomed that decision, adding that he would nominate a new prime minister as soon as possible.
Last week, Ahmed said Sharmarke had failed to resolve the conflict and that numerous cabinet reshuffles had yielded no improvements.
The Somali Islamist group al-Shabaab, which has links to al-Qaida, has stepped up its offensive to topple the government in the last six weeks, using suicide bomb attacks.
In the latest attack, a suicide bomber tried to force his way into the presidential palace last night, wounding two AU peacekeepers when he blew himself up outside the compound's gates.
The deputy prime minister, Abdiwahid Abdi Gonjeh, said Sharmarke's departure would bring some stability to the interim administration.
"The resignation of the prime minister brings progress. Now we are not going to be sitting on chairs that have titles with no meaning," Gonjeh told Reuters.
Some Somalia analysts are more sceptical about whether a new prime minister will change the direction of politics in the country.
They say the beleaguered Ahmed, a former Islamist rebel, has been looking for a scapegoat as he tries to reassert his authority over a brittle administration and disillusioned nation.
Parliament had been due to hold a vote of confidence on Sharmarke's leadership on Saturday but there were insufficient lawmakers to form a quorum and the session was postponed.
Source: Reuters in Mogadishu, guardian.co.uk,
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