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MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - Warlords began withdrawing thousands of militia fighters from the Somali capital on Saturday in a bid to restore order after more than 15 years of anarchy and civil war — a move the African Union has said is essential to stability.
Hundreds of armed militiamen, who not too long ago fought one another on the streets of Mogadishu, parked about 60 pickup trucks mounted with machine-guns at Mogadishu's main soccer stadium, shook hands, smiled and even struck up conversations.
Freelance militiamen and those controlled by businessmen and Islamic courts, however, are not part of the pullout and this could undermine efforts to restore order in the city with an estimated 10,500 armed fighters.
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