Archive for May, 2017
Tunisia security forces kill Daesh fugitive
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Comments Off on Tunisia security forces kill Daesh fugitiveTunisian security forces have killed a leader of the Daesh group who was plotting attacks during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, authorities said on Monday. The interior ministry did not identify the suspect, but said he was a leading member of Daesh and “dangerous” and was killed in an operation on Sunday night by […]
Egypt fighter jets carry out air strikes on Libya’s Derna
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Comments Off on Egypt fighter jets carry out air strikes on Libya’s DernaEgyptian jets carried out air strikes on the Libyan city of Derna on Monday, pressing home attacks against militants Egypt says were responsible for ambushing and killing Egyptian Christians last week, Libyan commanders said. Egypt’s air force began the attacks just hours after masked men boarded vehicles driving dozens of people to a monastery in […]
FMs of Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia to meet on Libya
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Comments Off on FMs of Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia to meet on LibyaThe foreign ministers of Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia are to meet in Algiers on June 5-6 to assess the situation in Libya “in light of the recent developments on the level of politics and security”, Algerian foreign ministry spoeksman Abdelaziz Benali Chérif said.
UN calls for Algeria and Morocco to held stranded Syrians
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Comments Off on UN calls for Algeria and Morocco to held stranded SyriansThe United Nations’ refugee agency on Tuesday urged Morocco and Algeria to provide safe passage to dozens of Syrian refugees trapped in no-man’s land between the two feuding countries. “Prompt action by both governments is needed in facilitating the immediate and safe passage of the forty-one vulnerable Syrian refugees,” UNHCR said in a statement. “We […]
Egypt’s army chief-of-staff discusses military cooperation with NATO commander
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Comments Off on Egypt’s army chief-of-staff discusses military cooperation with NATO commanderEgypt’s army chief-of-staff Mahmoud Hegazy discussed military cooperation on Wednesday with NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation General Denis Mercier in Cairo, the Egyptian military said in a statement. The talks addressed means of boosting military ties between the Egyptian military and NATO on the back of recent developments and challenges facing the Middle East […]
C Africa violence forces over 85k people to flee
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Comments Off on C Africa violence forces over 85k people to fleeSurging violence in Central African Republic has killed hundreds and forced some 88 000 people to flee their homes since the beginning of the month, the United Nations said on Tuesday. One of the world’s poorest nations, the country has been struggling to recover from a three-year civil war between the Muslim and Christian militias […]
UN launches $75m appeal for Libya
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Comments Off on UN launches $75m appeal for LibyaThe United Nations on Tuesday launched a $75.5 million appeal to tackle a swelling humanitarian and migration crisis in Libya. The UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the funds would go toward providing essential services for displaced people, refugees and asylum-seekers. The appeal is in partnership with the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).
4 Egypt soldiers killed in Western Desert blast
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Comments Off on 4 Egypt soldiers killed in Western Desert blastThree army officers and a soldier were killed in an explosion in Egypt’s Western Desert on Wednesday after a clash with militants, the military said. The incident comes days after Islamic State group jihadists gunned down 29 Christians in an attack southwest of the capital.
Libya, Turkey agree to boost security cooperation
Friday, May 26, 2017 Comments Off on Libya, Turkey agree to boost security cooperationThe UN-proposed government’s Interior Ministry said Thursday that it had agreed with Turkish authorities on resuming the security training programs signed with Turkey in the vicinity of the last five years, according the ministry’s Facebook page.
Macron reaffirms position on combating jihadis in Mali
Friday, May 26, 2017 Comments Off on Macron reaffirms position on combating jihadis in MaliNewly elected French President, Emmanuel Macron vowed to fight Islamist militants in Africa on his first visit to French troops fighting jihadis in Mali. The President, who also holds the position of Army Commander-in-Chief sought to curb militants in Mali and the Sahel region, who posed a potential threat to Europe.
At least 20 killed, 50 injured so far in ongoing deadly clashes in Libya’s capital
Friday, May 26, 2017 Comments Off on At least 20 killed, 50 injured so far in ongoing deadly clashes in Libya’s capitalAt least 23 have been reported as dead from Abu Salim forces and Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade and 53 others were wounded in the ongoing clashes between rival forces in Tripoli. The Abu Salim hospital has sent out cries for people to donate blood and for ambulances to be present to help the wounded in the […]
Algerian Minister for Maghreb meets Kobler
Friday, May 26, 2017 Comments Off on Algerian Minister for Maghreb meets KoblerThe Algerian Minister of State for Maghreb, AU and Arab League Affairs Abdul Gader Msahel met in Brussels on Monday the UN Special Envoy to Libya Martin Kobler. Algerian News Agency APS quoted diplomatic sources as saying ‘the talks were part of UN consultations on the
Attempt to broker South Sudan political agreement fails
Friday, May 26, 2017 Comments Off on Attempt to broker South Sudan political agreement failsSouth Sudan’s government and opposition groups have failed to reach a political agreement mediated by Uganda’s president in the latest setback to efforts to end the country’s civil war. The text of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press is aimed at unifying the fractured political landscape. But no rebel group that has taken up […]
At least 5 dead as militias clash in Libya capital
Friday, May 26, 2017 Comments Off on At least 5 dead as militias clash in Libya capitalAt least five people were killed in fierce clashes on Friday between rival armed groups in the Libyan capital Tripoli, seat of a UN-backed unity government, a hospital official said. The city has been gripped by a power struggle between dozens of militias since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gaddafi in 2011. An […]
Germany condemns attack on Copts in Egypt
Friday, May 26, 2017 Comments Off on Germany condemns attack on Copts in EgyptThe German government is condemning the attack against a bus carrying Coptic Christians in Egypt in which 24 people were killed and 25 wounded. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson says the news was being received with “deep sorrow,” noting that German is currently hosting a large gathering of the Protestant Church that Coptic Christians are attending […]
Death toll on new attack on Egypt Christians reaches 28
Friday, May 26, 2017 Comments Off on Death toll on new attack on Egypt Christians reaches 28Masked gunmen attacked a bus carrying Coptic Christians on a visit to a monastery south of the Egyptian capital on Friday, killing at least 28 people including children, officials said. The assailants in three pick-up trucks attacked the bus as it carried visitors to the Saint Samuel monastery in Minya province, more than 200km from […]
OIL PRICE AND GEOPOLITICAL SHIFTS
Wednesday, May 24, 2017 Comments Off on OIL PRICE AND GEOPOLITICAL SHIFTSGeopolitics experts, as well as stock market analysts agree about the complex relationship between the developments on the world stage and those in the field of oil production and trade. While continuing to influence and be directly influenced by geopolitics, the fossil fuel industry, especially the oil sector’s importance is also challenged by the rapid […]
Libyan PM, Trump held short talks on security
Monday, May 22, 2017 Comments Off on Libyan PM, Trump held short talks on securityThe Libyan Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez Al-Serraj, met on Sunday with the US President, Donald Trump, on the margins of the Arab-Islamic-American summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During the meeting, the US President reaffirmed his country’s full support for Libya in fighting terrorism. Trump also hailed the victory of […]
East Libyan Forces launch series of air strikes in Jufra
Monday, May 22, 2017 Comments Off on East Libyan Forces launch series of air strikes in JufraEast Libyan forces have targeted rival brigades with a series of air strikes in the southern region of Jufra, officials and witnesses said on Sunday, three days after dozens of their men were killed in a surprise attack on an air base. The escalation risks reigniting warfare in Libya’s central desert regions, where forces aligned […]
Egypt army chief of staff discusses military cooperation with UK chief of defense intelligence
Monday, May 22, 2017 Comments Off on Egypt army chief of staff discusses military cooperation with UK chief of defense intelligenceThe Egyptian army’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Hegazi, met in Cairo on Monday with the UK’s chief of defence intelligence, Air Marshall Philip Osborn, for talks on a wide range of issues, including regional security. Among the key topics under discussion was developments in the MENA region that impact negatively on regional and […]
Deadly violence on rise in CAR
Monday, May 22, 2017 Comments Off on Deadly violence on rise in CARThe latest upsurge in deadly violence in the Central African Republic saw the first use of heavy weapons and more sophisticated military tactics by a predominantly Christian armed group, a senior U.N. official said Thursday. Diane Corner, the U.N. deputy special representative in the beleaguered country, said that since May 8 more than 150 people, […]
French President visits troops deployed to Mali
Monday, May 22, 2017 Comments Off on French President visits troops deployed to MaliFrench President Emmanuel Macron visited French troops fighting jihadists in conflict-torn Mali on Friday and urged faster progress on a peace accord signed in 2015. At the end of his first week in office, Macron flew into Gao, a city in Mali’s deeply-troubled north, where he was met by his Malian counterpart Ibrahim Boubacar Keita […]
US President could visit Egypt soon
Monday, May 22, 2017 Comments Off on US President could visit Egypt soonUS President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he would visit Egypt soon during talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the Saudi capital. “We will absolutely be putting that on the list very soon,” Trump said at the beginning of bilateral talks with Sisi, which came hours before the US president is scheduled […]
3 dead in Algeria military helicopter crash
Monday, May 22, 2017 Comments Off on 3 dead in Algeria military helicopter crashThree Algerian naval officers were killed when their helicopter crashed after striking power lines during a night patrol southwest of Algiers, the defence ministry said on Monday. The navy rescue helicopter went down on Sunday night in Tipaza province, 70km from the capital, it said.
South Sudan’s President declares unilateral ceasefire
Monday, May 22, 2017 Comments Off on South Sudan’s President declares unilateral ceasefireSouth Sudan’s President Salva Kiir declared a unilateral ceasefire on Monday as he launched a national dialogue, a controversial bid to end a civil war that excludes his rival Riek Machar. It is not the first time Kiir has vowed the army will lay down arms in the three-year conflict, and he warned that his […]
Mali President pledges to keep fighting terrorist groups
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Comments Off on Mali President pledges to keep fighting terrorist groupsMali will keep fighting “terrorist groups” in the country until they engage in serious peace talks, the country’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has said. Despite continued French troop deployments, a UN peacekeeping mission comprising 11,000 soldiers and years of peace talks, Mali remains beset by political unrest and ethnic strife.
UN condemns attack on Timbuktu Base in Mali
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Comments Off on UN condemns attack on Timbuktu Base in MaliThe UN mission in Mali on Tuesday condemned the attack on Timbuktu UN Base and called for implementation of the peace deal, a UN spokesman said. “The UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) reports that its camp in Timbuktu was targeted in a mortar attack Monday,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at […]
Egypt, US discuss military cooperation
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Comments Off on Egypt, US discuss military cooperationEgyptian Defense Minister Sedqi Sobhi on Wednesday held talks in Cairo with General Joseph L. Lengyel, head of the U.S. National Guard, in which the two men discussed regional developments and military cooperation. “Attended by high-ranking Egyptian army officials, discussions tackled a range of issues, including current challenges faced by the region,” read an Egyptian […]
South Sudan president says peace agreement entering critical stage
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Comments Off on South Sudan president says peace agreement entering critical stageSouth Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Wednesday called for international support to the government efforts to implement the peace deal signed in August 2015 saying that the process is entering a critical stage. President Kiir made the remark on Wednesday after meeting the Egyptian ambassador to the South Sudan who paid him a courtesy call […]
Egypt, Jordan call for joint action on counter-terrorism in the region
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Comments Off on Egypt, Jordan call for joint action on counter-terrorism in the regionEgypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and King Abdullah II of Jordan stressed the importance of fostering international efforts to fight terrorism in the region during a meeting in Cairo on Wednesday. Abdullah arrived in Cairo for a short visit earlier today to discuss bilateral relations as well as regional issues, including the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. During […]
UN to send more troops to CAR
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Comments Off on UN to send more troops to CARThe United Nations (UN) said it plans to deploy more peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic (CAR) diamond-mining town of Bangassou to stem a recent wave of violence. The additional forces are being deployed to “neutralize attackers, protect civilians and facilitate critical humanitarian support to the population,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio […]
AU plans to send African mission to visit Libya
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Comments Off on AU plans to send African mission to visit LibyaThe Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smael Shangri announced Wednesday in Algiers that African Peace and Security Council are preparing to send a ministerial mission to visit Libya this month to contribute to addressing the crisis suffered by the country. In a press statement, Sharqi said; ‘The Libyan problem is an African problem needed an […]
China to send 395 more peacekeeping soldiers to Mali
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 Comments Off on China to send 395 more peacekeeping soldiers to MaliA 395-strong Chinese peacekeeping force is set to begin missions in Mali on behalf of the United Nations before the end of May. The troops will be sent to the West African country in two batches, where they will stay for one year. The troops include military engineers, security personnel and medical staff. This is […]
Egypt calls for lifting arms embargo on Libya
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 Comments Off on Egypt calls for lifting arms embargo on LibyaEgyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi reiterated a call on the international community to lift an arms embargo on Libya on Saturday, which would allow weapons to be delivered legally to a powerful general he backs in the fractured country’s east. After meeting Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Cairo, Sisi, himself a former general, said […]
US, Egypt Presidents discuss region situation
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 Comments Off on US, Egypt Presidents discuss region situationEgypt says US President Donald Trump has called his Egyptian counterpart to express his commitment to further “robust strategic relations” and partnership between the two countries. The office of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi says Trump also noted in the call on Monday night that he looks forward to meeting Sisi during the Arab-Islamic-American summit […]