Special forces from Egypt and Togo have started the second phase of a joint counterterrorism military exercise involving Sahel-Saharan states which was launched last year, the Egyptian military said on Thursday.

The drills, which will run for a week, are being held at Egypt’s Mohamed Naguib military base in the northwestern Mediterranean province of Marsa Matrouh.

The training is aimed at “supporting the security and stability of the African continent and combating threats and challenges facing [African] countries,” the military said in a statement published on its official Facebook page.

The exercises include training in dealing with various terrorist threats such as armed groups and the release of hostages, the statement added.

The first stage of the training was held between forces from Egypt, Sudan, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso in December 2018.

The drills are part of Egypt’s efforts to boost military ties with African countries in the context of Egypt’s 2019 presidency of the 55-nation African Union.