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Kremlin to announce dates of Victory Day ceasefire once Putin decides on them

30 April 2026 at 10:40
During a telephone conversation wiht his US counterpart Donald Trump the day before, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his readiness to declare a ceasefire for the duration of Victory Day celebrations
  • ✇RT - Daily news
  • Malian forces regain control of strategic city RT
    Islamic State-linked fighters have reportedly withdrawn from Menaka after clashes with the army and allied forces Malian forces have regained control of a key city in the north of the country after pushing Islamic State-linked militants to withdraw, local sources reported on Wednesday. The insurgents, who earlier this week had seized Menaka, located on the Niger border, retreated following clashes with the army and its allied forces, Reuters repo
     

Malian forces regain control of strategic city

By: RT
30 April 2026 at 10:33

Islamic State-linked fighters have reportedly withdrawn from Menaka after clashes with the army and allied forces

Malian forces have regained control of a key city in the north of the country after pushing Islamic State-linked militants to withdraw, local sources reported on Wednesday.

The insurgents, who earlier this week had seized Menaka, located on the Niger border, retreated following clashes with the army and its allied forces, Reuters reported, citing residents and a diplomatic source.

The pullback follows a series of coordinated attacks on military targets in the West African country on Saturday by fighters from Al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). The authorities confirmed that Defense Minister General Sadio Camara died from injuries sustained when a suicide car bomb struck his residence during the offensive.

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Bamako, Mali, April 25, 2026.
Terrorists attempted to overthrow Mali’s government – official

According to officials, Malian forces, supported by the Africa Corps, a Russian Defense Ministry unit deployed in Mali, repelled the militants’ attempt to seize military sites and key infrastructure. More than 200 militants were killed in the ensuing clashes and significant quantities of equipment were seized, Malian Chief of General Staff Oumar Diarra said on state TV on Sunday night.

Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga said on Monday that the insurgents had attempted to overthrow the government and destabilize the country’s institutions with the “support of sponsors.” While he did not specify the sponsors, Russia’s Defense Ministry later issued a statement, alleging that the militant formations, numbering about 12,000 fighters, were trained with the involvement of Ukrainian and European mercenary instructors. It also described the assault as an attempted coup by JNIM and the FLA against Mali’s military-led government.

READ MORE: Russian forces pound Western-backed terrorists in Mali (VIDEOS)

The former French colony has been battling a deadly insurgency for more than a decade, a crisis that has spilled into neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger despite years of French military operations in the region. All three countries have expelled French forces, accused Paris of supporting terrorists and turned to Russia for security assistance.

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French President Emmanuel Macron.
France is plotting revenge on its former colonies

On Tuesday, Russian Ambassador Igor Gromyko held talks in Bamako with Mali’s transitional leader, General Assimi Goita, over the latest militant violence. The envoy reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to assisting Mali “in the fight against international terrorism,” state broadcaster ORTM reported.

In a televised address on Tuesday, Goita said Malian armed forces had regained control of the situation and vowed to neutralize those responsible for the April 25 attacks.

Ukraine mum on Russia’s initiative to declare Victory Day ceasefire — Kremlin

30 April 2026 at 10:26
During a telephone conversation with his US counterpart Donald Trump the day before, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his readiness to declare a ceasefire for the duration of Victory Day celebrations
  • ✇RT - Daily news
  • Somali forces kill over 20 terrorists RT
    An operation in Lower Shabelle involved airstrikes and ground combat, with a senior militant commander among those killed Somali government forces have killed more than 20 Al-Qaeda-linked militants during a coordinated military operation in the Lower Shabelle region, officials said on Wednesday. The offensive, carried out over the past 72 hours with support from “international partners,” targeted the Bulo Abdalla area between Mubarak and Ugunji.
     

Somali forces kill over 20 terrorists

By: RT
30 April 2026 at 10:22

An operation in Lower Shabelle involved airstrikes and ground combat, with a senior militant commander among those killed

Somali government forces have killed more than 20 Al-Qaeda-linked militants during a coordinated military operation in the Lower Shabelle region, officials said on Wednesday.

The offensive, carried out over the past 72 hours with support from “international partners,” targeted the Bulo Abdalla area between Mubarak and Ugunji.

According to officials, the operation involved both ground combat and airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of 22 Al-Shabaab fighters, including a senior militant commander identified as Abdirahman Jeeri, who was accused of terrorizing local civilians.

The Somali Defense Ministry and army command said they intend to intensify operations in an effort to eliminate what they described as remaining elements of the group.

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FILE PHOTO.
The US is about to hit ‘Add to cart’ on another forever war

Al-Shabaab has waged an insurgency in the Horn of Africa country since 2007, seeking to overthrow the fragile federal government and establish its own rule based on a hardline interpretation of Sharia law. The group controls large swaths of land in Somalia’s southern and central regions, carrying out sporadic bombings and gun attacks on civilians and military infrastructure despite repeated offensives by national forces, African Union troops, and other foreign partners, including the US.

In March, Somali armed forces eliminated nine Al-Shabaab militants during an operation in the Lower Shabelle region. Earlier the same month, security forces also carried out two separate operations in which a total of 22 Al-Shabaab fighters were killed, according to military statements. The authorities also reported that government forces regained control of the Hawaadley area in the Middle Shabelle region, which had previously been held by Al-Shabaab militants.

READ MORE: ‘Key members’ of terrorist group killed in Somalia

In December, the UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution extending the mandate of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) until December 31, 2026.

“Adoption follows the recent extension of the Al-Shabaab sanctions regime. Taken together, these decisions demonstrate the Council’s continued determination to support Somalia in its fight against Al-Shabaab,” Archibald Young, UK ambassador to the UN General Assembly, said.

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