Ethiopia withdraws last troops from Somalia

ADDIS ABABA — An Ethiopian official says the country has withdrawn all troops from Somalia.
Government spokesman Bereket Simon said Sunday the last troops were withdrawn after crushing al-Shabab, a Somali Islamist militia. The Ethiopian withdrawal began earlier this month.The Ethiopians chased an Islamist administration from the Somali capital in 2006 at the request of Somalia's U.N.-backed government. But the administration was weakened by infighting and corruption. It now only controls a few blocks of the capital and the parliamentary seat of Baidoa.Al-Shabab controls several major cities. Islamists control most of southern and central Somalia.Somali legislators are expected to elect a new president Monday. The previous president resigned last month. AP