Former federal internal security minister Abdullahi Mohamed Noor resigned as senior adviser to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud late Sunday, citing persistent political deadlock that he said directly threatens the country’s fragile governance.
The resignation, announced on social media, lands at a critical moment as Somalia’s political factions remain locked in a dispute over the expiration of the federal government’s mandate, set for 15 May. Local analysts say Mr Noor’s departure signals widening rifts inside the Villa Somalia presidency just weeks before a potential constitutional crisis.
Mr Noor, who served as a lead adviser on countering violent extremism, did not specify immediate grievances but described the political environment as “obstructive.”
“Today I resigned from my post as senior adviser to the President,” Mr Noor wrote in a Facebook statement seen by this newsroom.
He added that he would soon address the Somali public directly on the political disagreements he believes are holding back national progress.
A source close to the former minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr Noor had grown frustrated with what he viewed as the administration’s inability to bridge differences with opposition leaders over electoral reforms.
The president’s office has not yet issued an official response. However, a senior government official, who declined to be named, rejected claims of a crisis: “The government continues to function legally under the parliament’s approved extension. Individual resignations do not reflect a breakdown.”
Opposition leaders have vowed to reject any government actions taken after 15 May, raising fears of a return to parallel administrations. Mogadishu residents have expressed growing unease, with some civil society groups urging both sides to resume dialogue.
Mr Noor’s exit follows the recent departure of a former intelligence chief and a senior ruling-party official from key advisory roles.