By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Somalia, 23 June 2026 – Somalia Defence Ministry welcomed the removal of Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a from a United Nations list of parties accused of recruiting and using children in armed conflict, calling it a sign of progress in security reform and child protection.
Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a, widely known as ASWJ, is a Somali religious and armed movement linked to Sufi clerics and followers. It rose to prominence in central Somalia after taking up arms against Al-Shabaab, particularly in areas including Galmudug.
The ministry said the decision was contained in the U.N. Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict, A/80/723-S/2026/357, which was issued in June.
The U.N. report said ASWJ had been removed through what it described as a technical delisting because the group no longer exists and its members have been integrated into Somali national security forces.
ASWJ had appeared on the U.N. list for more than 12 years. It was listed in the Secretary-General’s 2014 annual report on children and armed conflict, which documented the recruitment and use of children in Somalia during 2013 and attributed some cases to the group.
Related articles
Somalia’s Defence Ministry said the latest decision followed a review process involving assessment, data collection, verification, analysis and consultations with federal institutions, federal member states, the United Nations and international partners.
The ministry said it had led technical discussions and submitted a formal request asking the United Nations to align its assessment with what it called the current realities in Somalia.
It thanked federal institutions, federal member states, particularly Galmudug, the United Nations, UNICEF and other international partners for their role in the review.
The ministry said the move reflected joint efforts by Somalia and its partners to protect children during armed conflict and strengthen accountable national security institutions.
The federal government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children, respecting human rights, implementing the national civilian protection policy and building security institutions that comply with international standards.