Extension of Mohamud's presidential term unlawful, Somalia's Supreme Court rules

The extension of Hassan Sheikh Mohammed's presidential term was unlawful. Somalia's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. Mohammed's term ended in May, but his government declared a transition period of one year to prepare for the country's first nationwide democratic elections. Mohamed said it was legal under constitutional amendments passed in March. But the opposition criticised the move as a power grab and it sparked violent protests in the capital Mogadishu. Now the Supreme Court has said the amendments didn't apply to his term in office and says he should have left in May. Late on Wednesday, Mohammed dismissed the court's Chief Justice Bashir Yusuf Ahmed and said he'd appoint a replacement. Unconfirmed reports say that Ahmed is under arrest. Somalia is also facing a security crisis from a long-running Islamist insurgency but international donors have been cutting funding for military missions, frustrated at the lack of progress.