Osman Burmadow, the Somaliland traditional leader whose comments on the existence of two governments in Somalia caused a huge uproar, has apologized.
Burmadow made the comments while visiting Mogadishu.
He had called the late Ahmed Godane, a former head of Al-Shabaab, one of the few leaders that Somalia has.
On November 30, Burmadow sent his apologies to the people of Somalia.
In his apology, Burmadow said that his words, which he had only made in jest, had been politicized beyond his wildest imagination.
Burmadow said that he regrets his sentiments, in which he said that Al-Shabaab is just as much of a government as the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS).
He also used his apology to send condolences to the victims of Al-Shabaab attacks.