The government of Somalia has offered open amnesty to members of the militant group al-Shabab following the organization’s recent withdrawal from the capital city of Mogadishu. Al-Shabab pulled out of its positions in the city Saturday, although some units remain active in the capital. While African Union officials have celebrated the militants’ exit, the fighters claim the decision is simply a shift a tactics. Al-Shabab’s presence has hampered efforts to reach large parts of Somalia, where a catastrophic famine has placed half the population at risk of starvation. The United Nations is in the midst of its first airlift to Mogadishu in five years as it tries to reach those in need. A United Nations Refugee Agency spokesperson said the scale of the operation is massive.

Bruno Geddo: “We have now been able to give out 20,000 emergency packs. We are going to give out another 35,000 between now and the end of August. All in all, we aim at assisting 330,000 between July and August.”