Somalia's President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed resigned Monday following a bitter power struggle, adding political uncertainty to the war-ravaged country's security vacuum. “I had promised to return the power if I could not bring peace, stability and democracy where people can elect their leader,” Yusuf told a special meeting of parliament. “I have handed over my letter of resignation to the speaker of parliament who will be the president in line with the transitional federal charter. I don't want to violate and never violated the charter,” he added. The United Nations' top envoy for Somalia on Monday welcomed President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed's resignation. Elected in 2004, the 74-year-old former warlord headed a fractious administration. In recent months he had been embroiled in in-fighting which further weakened a government unable to assert its authority. But Yusuf blamed the international community for failing to support his government, leading to its inability to effectively rule.
