Somalia president to quit

Somalia’s president has told politicians he is resigning as the head of his country’s UN-backed government.

Abdullahi Yusuf made the announcement in a speech today before parliament in Baidoa – one of the only towns controlled by the weak government.

He said he would hand in his resignation letter later today after four years at the helm of the administration. The government has failed to bring security to the war-ravaged nation.