At this stage, US does not plan to withdraw its troops from Somalia, General Dagvin Anderson, commander of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), said as quoted by The East African newspaper. "The United States is not leaving Somalia, but we want to see Somalia take more responsibility for its own security," he noted. He also acknowledged that the Somali terrorist organization Al-Shabaab maintains its combat effectiveness despite airstrikes and ground operations conducted against it. The Al-Shabaab organization was founded in Somalia in the mid-2000s. Somali government forces, backed by local militias, African Union forces and foreign soldiers, are fighting the terrorist organization.