Somalia's leaders sack government

Some 40 ministers have quit the cabinet over the prime minister's opposition to peace talks with the Islamist militias who control the capital, Mogadishu.

The crisis had caused a rift between President Abdullahi Yusuf and Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi

Mr Ghedi's government controls little more than Baidoa, where it is based.

"The bloated cabinet of Ali Mohamed Ghedi's government did not do anything during its tenure," President Yusuf announced in parliament.

"From today onwards, the government has been dissolved - only the prime minister will remain."

Mediator

Prime Minister Ghedi said that although his government had survived a democratic vote of no confidence, "the political differences which resulted from there has been slashed out and we're now together to serve Somali interests".

The announcement reportedly follows the intervention of Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin as mediator between the two factions in the Somali government.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5252602.stm