FILE PHOTO: Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, president of Somalia, attends the London Somalia Conference at Lancaster House, May 11, 2017. REUTERS/Jack Hill/Pool/File Photo
MOGADISHU (Reuters) -Somalia s lower house of parliament voted unanimously on Saturday to cancel a divisive two-year presidential term extension it approved last month, a move that might help end an armed stand-off in the capital Mogadishu.
The crisis over the term extension has raised fears that al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents could exploit the situation. Militants from al Shabaab took over at least one Somali town in the past week, as heavily armed fighters moved from the countryside into the capital city.
Somalia s lower house of parliament votes to cancel presidential term extension swissinfo.ch - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from swissinfo.ch Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
FILE PHOTO: Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, president of Somalia, attends the London Somalia Conference at Lancaster House, May 11, 2017. REUTERS/Jack Hill/Pool/File Photo
MOGADISHU (Reuters) -Somalia s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed said on Wednesday he would drop an attempt to extend his term by two years, bowing to domestic and international pressure after clashes in the capital Mogadishu split security forces along clan lines.
Hours earlier, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble had denounced the proposed term extension and called for preparations for a new presidential election.
The president s term expired in February, but the country failed to hold elections as planned. Earlier this month, the lower house of parliament voted to extend Mohamed s four-year term by another two years. The Senate rejected the move, provoking a political crisis.
By Abdi Sheikh
MOGADISHU, April 28 (Reuters) - Members of Somalia s opposition on Wednesday refused to withdraw from fortified positions in the capital after the president tried to defuse an armed standoff by promising to appear before parliament to debate a proposal to extend his term by two years.
The proposal has split some security forces along clan lines and forced between 60,000 and 100,000 people to flee their homes following clashes on Sunday that stirred fears of all-out war between heavily armed factions for and against the president. Even babies understand the war mood is still the same, Captain Ahmed Nur, a military officer loyal to the opposition, told Reuters by phone. We are still in our defences. this afternoon we are waiting for dozens of military from Lower Shabelle region.
Bowing to pressure, Somalia s president agrees not to extend presidential term msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.