Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition Launches ‘Peace Journalists’ Initiative in Senegal

 The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) launched the “Peace Journalists” initiative at King Fahd Conference Center in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, on Tuesday.
 The launch was attended by Senegalese Minister of the Armed Forces Yankhoba Diémé, IMCTC Secretary General Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Moghedi, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Vice Admiral Oumar Wade, as well as a number of civilian and military officials, members of the diplomatic corps and media professionals.
 The initiative aims to train journalists and media professionals and strengthen their ability to cover issues related to terrorism and extremism, verify information, and counter rumors and hate speech. It brings together participants from community, national, military and international media outlets, providing an opportunity to exchange expertise among media professionals working across various levels.
 In remarks at the launch ceremony, the Senegalese armed forces minister said terrorism not only targets lives and institutions but also seeks to spread fear, undermine trust and fuel polarization within communities. He added that investing in the training of media professionals is an investment in societies’ resilience, highlighting the role of professional journalism in debunking rumors, countering hate speech and promoting dialogue.
 The minister welcomed the IMCTC secretary general and commended the coalition’s efforts to support member states in combating terrorism and extremism. He also expressed appreciation for Senegal’s selection to host the training program and hope that it would mark the beginning of a series of initiatives to strengthen national capacities in media, awareness-raising and extremism prevention.
 Al-Moghedi, for his part, stressed the importance of equipping media professionals to handle sensitive issues professionally. He noted that accurate information, when presented in its proper context, helps communities understand threats and counter extremist narratives.
 Al-Moghedi said terrorist groups seek to exploit media and digital platforms to spread their narratives and fuel fear and division. This makes verifying information, understanding local contexts and avoiding the amplification of extremist messages essential skills for journalists.