Riyadh — Somalia's Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi visited the headquarters of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) in Riyadh on Tuesday, as Mogadishu seeks to bolster international cooperation against militant groups.

Fiqi, who is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, was received by IMCTC Secretary-General Major General Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi, according to Somali officials.

Talks focused on strengthening joint efforts to combat extremist ideology, eradicate terrorism and enhance security and strategic cooperation between Somalia and the Saudi-based alliance.

The Somali minister praised the coalition's role in uniting Muslim-majority countries to confront security threats, reiterating Mogadishu's commitment to deepening international partnerships in its fight against armed groups.

Somalia has been battling the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab insurgency for more than a decade, relying on support from regional and international partners.

Fiqi was accompanied by Somalia's chargé d'affaires in Riyadh, Abdelaziz Abdirahman Hassan, the IMCTC representative to Somalia, Brigadier General Abdirahman Turyare, and other officials from the defence ministry and the Somali embassy.

Somalia is among the founding members of the 41-nation Islamic coalition, underscoring its involvement in global counter-terrorism efforts.