RIYADH: Mauritania’s defense minister on Wednesday reaffirmed his countrys unwavering stand with the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) in the campaign against international terrorist organizations, the alliance said in a statement. Minister Hanena Ould Sidi gave the assurance during a meeting in Nouakchott with Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi, secretary-general of the Riyadh-based IMCTC, who was on an official visit to the Mauritanian capital. Al-Moghedi was also briefed about the main undertakings of the Mauritanian defense ministry and the country’s initiative to establish the Sahel Alliance. Mauritania is one of the 42 member states of the coalition, which was formally organized in 2016 to counter the activities of terrorist groups such as the Daesh and Al-Qaeda. Riyadh is the base of its joint operations center. Minister Sidi said the coalition’s campaign against terrorism and violent extremism is a holistic one that includes awareness as well as fighting terror financing, the statement said. Security experts have said that unless terror organizations are deprived of funding, they will continue to flourish. For his part, Major General Al-Moghedi cited Mauritania’s role as a solid base in fighting the scourge of terrorism in the Sahel countries, and its effective role in moderation and centrism in the Maghreb region. Al-Moghedi also cited Mauritanias effective participation with many organizations in combating terrorism, adding that the IMCTC was looking forward to expanding cooperation to ensure that terrorism in all its forms and patterns would be eradicated. Al-Moghedi also met with the director general of the G5 Sahel Defense College, Maj. Gen. Brahim Vall Cheibani, and was briefed about the institution’s duties and strategic goals, as well as the latest developments related to the five Sahel countries. They also discussed ways to enhance cooperation and develop future visions that serve both sides.