Archive for the ‘Africa’ Category
Palestinian factions to meet in Cairo to prepare for general elections
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Palestinian factions to meet in Cairo to prepare for general electionsIt is not clear whether Abbas would present his candidacy in the upcoming presidential election. Representatives of several Palestinian factions including Fatah and Hamas, are scheduled to meet in Cairo this week to discuss preparations for holding general elections for the first time since 2006.
Africa Fears Turkish Arms Smuggled through Libya May Fall in Wrong Hands
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on Africa Fears Turkish Arms Smuggled through Libya May Fall in Wrong HandsNigerian President Muhammadu Buhari recently warned that the chaos and spread of arms in Libya may negatively impact security in Africa as a whole. His remarks raised concerns among experts that the weapons smuggled into Libya, namely from Turkey, may fall in the wrong hands in Africa, especially terrorist groups.
U.N. chief Guterres tries again to appoint a Libya mediator
Monday, January 18, 2021 Comments Off on U.N. chief Guterres tries again to appoint a Libya mediatorU.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres plans to appoint veteran diplomat Jan Kubis as his envoy in Libya nearly a year after the last mediator stepped down, according to a letter to the U.N. Security Council seen by Reuters on Thursday.
How Qaeda-Friendly GSIM Became the Sahel’s Leading Jihadists
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on How Qaeda-Friendly GSIM Became the Sahel’s Leading JihadistsA group of jihadists close to Al-Qaeda has emerged as the West’s most formidable enemy in the Sahel, taking over from the Islamic State as the region’s major threat. The Group to Support Islam and Muslims, also known by its Arabic acronym JNIM, is a sworn enemy of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara […]
Militants continue to stage deadly attacks as insecurity expands into previously ‘safe’ zones in West Africa, Sahel, top official tells Security Council
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on Militants continue to stage deadly attacks as insecurity expands into previously ‘safe’ zones in West Africa, Sahel, top official tells Security CouncilInsecurity across West Africa and the Sahel has expanded into areas previously considered safe, with militants continuing to stage deadly attacks, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the region told the Security Council today, as delegates called for consolidating gains in democratic governance recently expressed by several countries in their successful conduct of elections.
ISWAP Suicide Bomber Kills Six Nigerian Troops in Borno: Military
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on ISWAP Suicide Bomber Kills Six Nigerian Troops in Borno: MilitarySix Nigerian soldiers were killed when a jihadist rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into them during a clash in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, two military sources said Tuesday.
Bullets and panic: rebels attack Central African Republic capital
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on Bullets and panic: rebels attack Central African Republic capitalRebels in Central African Republic attacked the capital early on Wednesday, but were repelled by President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s security forces and United Nations peacekeepers, authorities said, in an escalation of an election conflict.
Kenya: Suspected Al-Shabaab Militants Bomb Telco Mast
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Comments Off on Kenya: Suspected Al-Shabaab Militants Bomb Telco MastSuspected al-Shabaab militants have bombed a telecommunications mast in Banisa Sub-County, Mandera County three days after they attacked a bus and a private vehicle in the same area. Local residents who spoke to the Nation said the militants used explosives to destroy the mast at Darkale center on Tuesday night.
Somalia’s al Shabaab says behind Turkish company attack, four dead
Thursday, January 14, 2021 Comments Off on Somalia’s al Shabaab says behind Turkish company attack, four deadA car bomb targeting workers of a Turkish company killed four people including one Turkish citizen on Saturday in Somalia, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said.
US Launches Work on Consulate in Disputed Western Sahara
Thursday, January 14, 2021 Comments Off on US Launches Work on Consulate in Disputed Western SaharaThe United States on Sunday started the process of establishing a consulate in contested Western Sahara, after Washington recognized Morocco’s sovereignty there in exchange for Rabat normalizing ties with Israel. U.S. Ambassador to Morocco David Fischer visited the port of Dakhla, 1,440 kilometers (895 miles) southwest of Rabat in the far south of Moroccan-controlled Western […]
With Sudan signing Abraham Accords, Israel tightens grip in Africa, Red Sea basin
Monday, January 11, 2021 Comments Off on With Sudan signing Abraham Accords, Israel tightens grip in Africa, Red Sea basinWith Sudan signing today the Abraham accords for renewal of diplomatic ties, Israel is sending feelers also to other Red Sea basin countries for establishing some sorts of relations. Sudanese Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari signed on to the Abraham Accords today in Khartoum, officially agreeing to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel. The signature took place […]
Egypt, Ethiopia escalate war of words over stalled Nile dam talks
Monday, January 11, 2021 Comments Off on Egypt, Ethiopia escalate war of words over stalled Nile dam talksEthiopia is accusing Egypt of deliberate hostility amid stalled negotiations on the controversial dam and tension between Addis Ababa and Khartoum. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ethiopian chargé d’affaires to Cairo Dec. 30 to clarify statements by Dina Mufti, the spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs who criticized the human […]
Turkey draws road map with Egypt, but will Cairo follow it?
Monday, January 11, 2021 Comments Off on Turkey draws road map with Egypt, but will Cairo follow it?Turkey is once again hinting at openness for dialogue with Egypt, but real progress remains elusive. Once again, Turkey is reaching out to Egypt for political rapprochement. Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters Dec. 30 that Turkey and Egypt are working on shaping a road map for their bilateral relations.
Will Egypt agree to sell Nile waters?
Monday, January 11, 2021 Comments Off on Will Egypt agree to sell Nile waters?Wall Street has started trading in water futures contracts, just like gold, oil and basic commodities, coinciding with the stalled negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which raises the question of whether Egypt will agree to sell the Nile waters.
Egypt denies plans to join states opening Western Sahara consulates
Friday, January 8, 2021 Comments Off on Egypt denies plans to join states opening Western Sahara consulatesCairo has denied Moroccan reports that Egypt plans to inaugurate a consulate in Western Sahara, which has been disputed for decades between Morocco and the Polisario Front backed by Algeria.
Egypt works to alter Turkey’s Libya road map
Friday, January 8, 2021 Comments Off on Egypt works to alter Turkey’s Libya road mapThe first official visit from Egypt to Libya’s internationally recognized Tripoli government aims to prevent a possible military push against strategic Sirte under the control of the rival group.
Moroccan officials arrive in Israel to reopen liaison office
Monday, January 4, 2021 Comments Off on Moroccan officials arrive in Israel to reopen liaison officeAn administrative Moroccan delegation arrived in Israel to reopen the liaison office following normalization of ties between the two countries.
Sudan says took back border land from Ethiopia
Saturday, January 2, 2021 Comments Off on Sudan says took back border land from EthiopiaThe Sudanese government says the country’s military forces have taken control of most of the agricultural land allegedly occupied by Ethiopians near the border between the two countries. Tensions have flared since the outbreak of a conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region last month and the arrival of thousands of mainly Tigrayan refugees in eastern […]
Egypt delegation visits Libyan capital, meets Tripoli gov’t
Saturday, January 2, 2021 Comments Off on Egypt delegation visits Libyan capital, meets Tripoli gov’tEgyptian diplomats and intelligence officials arrived in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Sunday, Libyan officials said, the most senior Egyptian delegation to visit the western part of the conflict-stricken country in years. The Egyptian delegation was headed by Ayman Badea, the deputy chief of the General Intelligence Service, Egypt’s version of the CIA. The […]
UAE joins Egypt-led Eastern Med Gas Forum
Saturday, January 2, 2021 Comments Off on UAE joins Egypt-led Eastern Med Gas ForumAbu Dhabi announced that it has joined the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum based in Cairo, as part of efforts to counter Turkey’s ambitions in the area. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed visited Cairo Dec. 17 for talks with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi. A presidential statement said the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has joined […]
Turkey cements Libyan intervention as Haftar vows to repel ‘colonisers’
Saturday, January 2, 2021 Comments Off on Turkey cements Libyan intervention as Haftar vows to repel ‘colonisers’Turkey cemented its involvement in the Libyan conflict on Saturday when Defence Minister Hulusi Akar visited the country. Four days earlier, the Turkish Parliament voted to extend by 18 months a one-year presence in the country, which came into effect in January after an agreement with the Government of National Accord in Tripoli.
Turkish Parliament extends troop deployment to Libya
Friday, December 25, 2020 Comments Off on Turkish Parliament extends troop deployment to LibyaThe measure, which extends Turkey’s presence in Libya by 18 months, had the backing of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party. The Turkish Parliament voted Tuesday to extend the deployment of Turkish troops in war-torn Libya who are fighting on behalf of the internationally recognized government.
Sisi brushes off possibility of military action in Libya
Friday, December 25, 2020 Comments Off on Sisi brushes off possibility of military action in LibyaEgyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stresses that Cairo seeks an all-inclusive political solution to the Libyan crisis, casting aside reports of a military confrontation against Turkey on Libyan soil.
U.S. Aircraft Carrier, 2,500 Marines Off the Coast of Somalia as Pentagon Repositions Forces in Africa
Friday, December 25, 2020 Comments Off on U.S. Aircraft Carrier, 2,500 Marines Off the Coast of Somalia as Pentagon Repositions Forces in Africahe U.S. has moved an aircraft carrier and an Amphibious Ready Group embarked with Marines off the coast of Somalia as U.S. Africa Command has begun repositioning troops from Somalia, USNI News has learned.
Tunisia militants behead shepherd near Algeria border
Friday, December 25, 2020 Comments Off on Tunisia militants behead shepherd near Algeria borderIslamist militants kidnapped and beheaded a young shepherd in mountains in Tunisia near the border with Algeria on Sunday, security sources and residents said.
Three dead in Sinai bombings
Friday, December 25, 2020 Comments Off on Three dead in Sinai bombingsThe Egyptian military has reported several operations against Islamist insurgents in the Sinai Peninsula recently.
Lebanese activist sentenced to prison for collaborating with Israel
Monday, December 21, 2020 Comments Off on Lebanese activist sentenced to prison for collaborating with IsraelKinda El-Khatib, a critic of Hezbollah on social media, was sentenced to three years in prison by a military court. A Lebanese activist was sentenced to prison this week on charges of working with Israel. The activist, who has been a critic of Hezbollah, denied the allegations in court.
Egypt, Iraq deepen defense ties
Monday, December 21, 2020 Comments Off on Egypt, Iraq deepen defense tiesEgypt and Iraq are expanding defense industry ties in a sign of deepening engagement among Cairo, Baghdad and Amman. Egypt is working to enhance its cooperation and relations with Iraq, notably in the military field.
Russia company TATNEFT to resume oil exploration in Libya, Syria
Monday, December 21, 2020 Comments Off on Russia company TATNEFT to resume oil exploration in Libya, SyriaTATNEFT Company suspended its operations in Libya following the revolution of 17 February, 2011 – NOC A Russian oil company intends to resume production and exploration operations in a number of sites in Syria and Libya, after its activities were halted following the events of the 17 February Revolution.
Nigeria’s Security Failures: The Link Between EndSARS and Boko Haram
Monday, December 21, 2020 Comments Off on Nigeria’s Security Failures: The Link Between EndSARS and Boko HaramAt first glance, the October killings of protesters by security forces in Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos, seem to have little in common with the November Boko Haram massacre of at least 43 farmers in Nigeria’s northeast, or the December 11 abduction of hundreds of school students in Katsina State. With vastly different circumstances, motivations, and […]
Russia ‘seeks’ UAE, Egypt to resolve Libyan crisis
Friday, December 18, 2020 Comments Off on Russia ‘seeks’ UAE, Egypt to resolve Libyan crisisRussia is “seeking” the United Arab Emirates and Egypt for successful talks on the Libyan crisis, Foreign Minster Sergey Lavrov said on Monday during a press conference with his Emirati counterpart.
Pro-Sisi party wins majority in Egypt’s parliamentary polls
Friday, December 18, 2020 Comments Off on Pro-Sisi party wins majority in Egypt’s parliamentary pollsEgypt’s Mostaqbal Watn (Nation’s Future) Party, which strongly backs President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, secured nearly 55% of the contested seats in a parliamentary election spread over several weeks, official results showed on Monday.
Egypt targets businessmen over alleged ties to Brotherhood
Friday, December 18, 2020 Comments Off on Egypt targets businessmen over alleged ties to BrotherhoodEgyptian authorities stepped up their crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood, this time arresting a number of businessmen they accuse of funding the group’s activities.
Is Egypt ready to turn page on Gulf crisis with Qatar?
Friday, December 18, 2020 Comments Off on Is Egypt ready to turn page on Gulf crisis with Qatar?Egypt has welcomed the recent Kuwaiti efforts to end the Gulf crisis pitting a Saudi-led bloc of nations, including Egypt, against Qatar. After Saudi Arabia and Kuwait recently announced that they had made progress toward ending the dispute Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have with Qatar, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry praised Gulf efforts, particularly […]
Western Sahara media, activists criticize US decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty
Friday, December 18, 2020 Comments Off on Western Sahara media, activists criticize US decision to recognize Moroccan sovereigntyUS President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the United States had accepted Morocco’s claim to disputed Western Sahara and that Morocco and Israel were establishing full relations.