The Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) has criticised the reconciliation committee recently formed by the interim government, and said it was an attempt to undermine the SRRC.

Abdullahi Shaykh Isma'il, one of the five co-chairmen of the SRRC, said the reconciliation committee was "an arbitrary and desperate action" by the Mogadishu-based Transitional National Government (TNG).

The office of the prime minister of the TNG announced on 6 May the appointment of a 25-member peace and reconciliation committee, which would send representatives to all regions in Somalia.

Abdullahi Shaykh said it was an attempt by the TNG to deceive the international community into believing it was "serious" about reconciliation. He said Somalia's problems could only be addressed by a "truly representative reconciliation conference" of all concerned parties.