The second phase of the African Union troop withdrawal from Somalia has begun, the bloc said Monday. The pullout follows a timeline for the handover of security to the country's authorities, which are fighting al-Qaida’s affiliate in East Africa — the Somalia-based al-Shabab.
Last year, the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a new African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, known as ATMIS, to support the Somalis until their forces take full responsibility for the country’s security at the end of 2024.
