The Director General of the Somali Ministry of Information, Abdullahi Xayir Duale, said that the Somali government has closed 82,000 social media pages in 2026, which he said were being used by terrorist groups to spread their ideas.
Speaking at a discussion on the link between combating armed groups and reducing disaster risks in coastal areas of Somalia, Duale said that the government is focusing on the ideological and public awareness campaign.
He said that the fight against armed groups has three main aspects: military, economic and ideological, noting that ideological warfare can affect a large number of people.
The director said that the Ministry of Information has closed thousands of pages in recent years, including Facebook, TikTok and Telegram.
Duale said that this year’s numbers are still increasing as 2026 is not over, adding that these groups sometimes reappear on social media using new names and pages.
He said that the Ministry of Information is also using the national media, artists, television programs and Somali scholars to educate the public about extremist ideologies.
The Director General noted that the national media reaches millions of people inside and outside Somalia, which he said is helping the government in efforts against the spread of extremist ideologies.
He also said that the Ministry of Information and the Tubsan Agency are collaborating on public awareness, especially in the field of religion, with scholars being included in efforts to prevent religious misinterpretations that mislead the youth.
Duale said that the government will continue to close websites that spread extremist ideologies, educate the public and showcase military activities, indicating that these efforts will be further strengthened.
