MOGADISHU, Somalia, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- The Somali prime minister announced Tuesday he was stepping down because of lingering disputes with the president of the transitional government.
Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke in a Tuesday statement said he was resigning because of political differences and instability in the beleaguered country.
"After considering the political crisis in the government and increasing insecurity in Somalia, I have decided to resign from my post as prime minister," he was quoted by al-Jazeera as saying.
The U.N.-backed transitional government has been unable to end an insurgency led by militants with al-Qaida affiliate al-Shabaab. The transitional government controls only a tiny portion of the capital Mogadishu.
Al-Jazeera notes Sharmarke is the third prime minister to resign since the transitional government was formed in Kenya in 2004.
Somali President Sharif Ahmed last week called for changes to the U.N.-backed transitional government. A motion followed that called on lawmakers to vote on a no-confidence measure for Sharmarke.
The prime minister said at the time that Somalia couldn't "withstand such a fallout," adding he had no intention of stepping down.
The United Nations warned last week that the Somali government needed to stand united during the looming insurgent threat.
The transition period for the current Somali government ends next August.
