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Somalia Liberates More Villages from Al-Shabaab Militants

The army, with the help of peacekeeping missions and local forces, are fighting Al-Shabaab militants, who control larger swathes of Somali territory. (SONNA)
The army, with the help of peacekeeping missions and local forces, are fighting Al-Shabaab militants, who control larger swathes of Somali territory. (SONNA)
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Somalia Liberates More Villages from Al-Shabaab Militants

The army, with the help of peacekeeping missions and local forces, are fighting Al-Shabaab militants, who control larger swathes of Somali territory. (SONNA)
The army, with the help of peacekeeping missions and local forces, are fighting Al-Shabaab militants, who control larger swathes of Somali territory. (SONNA)

Somalia on Sunday celebrated the victory of its army in liberating villages from the al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab terrorist group.

Galmudug regional state Vice President Ali Dahir congratulated the people for regaining control over several areas in the Mudug region.

Somalia has been plagued by years of insecurity with the main threats coming from the Al-Shabaab group.

The army, with the help of peacekeeping missions and local forces, are fighting Al-Shabaab militants, who control larger swathes of Somali territory.

Dahir said the armed forces have achieved “successive victories” in their war to “liberate the country from terrorism.”

The country’s official news agency, SONNA, said the army and the local forces captured Sargo and Qodqod areas in the Mudug region, killing 30 Al-Shabaab terrorists as part of their ongoing operation to liberate Somalia from the group.

The armed forces and the local forces have taken full control of Sargo and Qodqod in Mudug, it said.

A government statement lauded “the heroic role of local forces who stood alongside the national army to eliminate terrorism,” adding that it is determined to punish the terrorist conspirators who dare to harm the Somali people.

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Russia Removes Afghan Taliban from List of Banned Terrorist Groups

Russia's Supreme Court judge Oleg Nefyodov delivers a verdict lifting a ban on Afghanistan's Taliban, who were designated as a terrorist group more than two decades ago, in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
Russia's Supreme Court judge Oleg Nefyodov delivers a verdict lifting a ban on Afghanistan's Taliban, who were designated as a terrorist group more than two decades ago, in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
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20
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Russia Removes Afghan Taliban from List of Banned Terrorist Groups

Russia's Supreme Court judge Oleg Nefyodov delivers a verdict lifting a ban on Afghanistan's Taliban, who were designated as a terrorist group more than two decades ago, in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)
Russia's Supreme Court judge Oleg Nefyodov delivers a verdict lifting a ban on Afghanistan's Taliban, who were designated as a terrorist group more than two decades ago, in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP)

Russia on Thursday suspended its ban on the Taliban, which it had designated for more than two decades as a terrorist organization, in a move that paves the way for Moscow to normalize ties with the leadership of Afghanistan.

No country currently recognizes the Taliban government that seized power in August 2021 as US-led forces staged a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. But Russia has been gradually building relations with the movement, which President Vladimir Putin said last year was now an ally in fighting terrorism.

The Taliban was outlawed by Russia as a terrorist movement in 2003. State media said the Supreme Court on Thursday lifted the ban with immediate effect.

Russia sees a need to work with the Taliban as it faces a major security threat from extremist militant groups based in a string of countries from Afghanistan to the Middle East.

"Russia aims to build mutually beneficial ties with Afghanistan in all areas, including the fight against drugs and terrorism," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It added that Moscow was grateful to Afghanistan for military operations against the local branch of ISIS.

Moscow also aims to strengthen trade, business and investment ties with Kabul, leveraging Afghanistan's strategic position for future energy and infrastructure projects, the ministry statement said.

In March 2024, gunmen killed 145 people at a concert hall outside Moscow in an attack claimed by ISIS. US officials said they had intelligence indicating it was the Afghan branch of the group, ISIS Khorasan (ISIS-K), that was responsible.

The Taliban says it is working to wipe out the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan.

Western diplomats say the Taliban's path towards wider international recognition is blocked until it changes course on women's rights. The Taliban has closed high schools and universities to girls and women and placed restrictions on their movement without a male guardian.