Monthly Archives: May 2015

Pakistan pledges support for Afghanistan democracy

Pakistan on Wednesday said it fully supports peace and stability in Afghanistan, as the two sides agreed to work closely for the security and socio-economic development of the region. “Pakistan has firm resolve to fully support Afghanistan’s efforts for peace and stability, including through facilitating an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace …

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Libyan PM survives shooting attack

Libya’s internationally-recognised Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni has survived a shooting attack during a demonstration against the government, according to a government source. “A convoy of the prime minister was shot at as he was leaving Tobruk air base, the parliament’s temporary headquarter,” a senior government official said on Tuesday.

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NATO commander: Ukraine still facing attacks on its territory

A top NATO commander warned Wednesday that “continual attacks” against Ukraine were hampering Kiev’s efforts to modernise its army enough to one day join the Western military alliance. “We are well aware of the formidable challenges that Ukraine is facing,” NATO’s political affairs and security chief Thrasyvoulos Terry Stamatopoulos told …

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French President to meet CAR leaders

French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday met with Central African Republic (CAR) interim president Catherine Samba-Panza for talks amid ongoing tensions in the troubled African nation, an official statement said. The two leaders discussed, notably, ongoing efforts to arrive at a settlement to the civil conflict that has killed tens …

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Mali crisis: CMA could sign peace agreement

Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Mali, Chief of Minusma, Mongi Hamdi said on Monday he convicted that “reason would prevail” so that the other party of the Coordination of Movements of Azawad (CMA) can sign “without delay” the peace and reconciliation agreement, following the Algiers process.

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Tunisia granted new US ally status

President Barack Obama on Thursday elevated Tunisia to new allied status, promising financial and security assistance to ensure the North African country’s transition to democracy remains a success in a fragile region. Obama announced in an Oval Office meeting with newly elected Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi that he intends …

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Kurdish forces drive IS out of Assyrian Christian villages

Kurdish forces have driven the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group from more than a dozen Assyrian Christian villages that the jihadists had captured in northeastern Syria, a monitor said May 27. “Following a 10-day offensive, Kurdish fighters took control early this week of 14 Assyrian villages …

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Russia scraps Mistral deal with France

Russia has scrapped its controversial deal with France to buy two Mistral-class warships and is now designing its own alternative to the vessels, according to a source from Russia’s state military industrial complex. The €1.2bn deal, agreed between Russia and France in 2011, was initially planned to see two Mistral-class …

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