Etidal, Telegram remove 1.9 million items of extremist online content

Etidal has been collaborating with Telegram on preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism by reviewing online content posted in Arabic. (Etidal photo)
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Updated 22 July 2022
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Etidal, Telegram remove 1.9 million items of extremist online content

RIYADH: The Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, and messaging platform Telegram, have together removed around 1.9 million online items of extremist content since partnering on an initiative earlier this year.
And of the total, an estimated 1.2 million pieces of material and links were taken down between June 8 and July 12. 


The center, known as Etidal, has been collaborating with Telegram on preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism by reviewing online content posted in Arabic. Both organizations have agreed to expand their coordination to detect and remove Arabic material glorifying terrorism.
Among items referred were media files — PDFs, videos, and audio — uploaded by groups on Telegram and public Telegram channels hosting the material.
The cooperation agreement aims to protect the platform’s users from extremist content, ideological influences, and attempts to exploit the platform in trading the content.
On Feb. 21, Etidal and Telegram announced a deal to step up their joint cooperation on tackling the issue.

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Etidal

Etidal (Arabic for "moderation"), is the other name of the Riyadh-based Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology. Organized in 2017, the center is governed by a 12-member Board of Directors consisting of various international organizations and state institutions that are appointed every 5 years. Early this year, the center partnered with messaging platform Telegram to review and remove online content glorifying terrorism as a way of preventing and countering violent extremism.


Saudi project clears 2,676 explosive devices in Yemen

Updated 22 February 2026
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Saudi project clears 2,676 explosive devices in Yemen

  • Ousama Al-Gosaibi, Project Masam’s managing director, said the initiative had cleared a total of 544,187 mines since it began in 2018

RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 2,108 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.

The total included 2,484 unexploded ordnances, 149 anti-tank mines, 17 anti-personnel mines and 26 improvised explosive devices, according to a recent report.

The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.

The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.

Ousama Al-Gosaibi, Project Masam’s managing director, said the initiative had cleared a total of 544,187 mines since it began in 2018.

Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate the safe movement of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid.

The project trains local demining engineers, provides them with modern equipment, and offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.