Nigeria has begun the “final onslaught” against Boko Haram, the country’s national security spokesman said on Tuesday, after the militants were ousted from the strategic town of Bama. On a visit to London, Mike Omeri said that “significant strategic military successes and gains” had been made against the Islamists in …

A U.N. helicopter crashed Tuesday in Mali, killing two Dutch peacekeepers. The two members of the United Nations’ Minusma mission were the only two on board the Apache helicopter when it crashed around 1 p.m. local time about 26 miles north of Gao, Mali. “The special representative of the secretary …

Ukraine’s parliament approved Tuesday a draft law to grant special status to the eastern regions of the country, which are controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Submitted by President Petro Poroshenko as part of the cease-fire agreement reached in the Belarus capital of Minsk in February, the bill establishes the boundaries of rebel-held areas that could be given special status …

Three soldiers were killed and five injured in eastern Ukraine, an army spokesman said on Tuesday, further undermining a month-old ceasefire between government forces and pro-Russian separatists. Some of the casualties were caused by fire from the rebels, the others occurring when a military vehicle drove over a landmine, spokesman …

The EU Monday decided to appoint an Italian diplomat, Fernando Gentilini, as new special representative for Middle East, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini told a news conference at the end of a meeting of EU foreign ministers. Analysts opine that the re-establishment of the post of the special EU envoy …

Nigeria’s military on Monday said that it had cleared Boko Haram from the northeastern state of Yobe, after reclaiming the town of Goniri. “We announced the reclaiming of Goniri today,” defence spokesman Chris Olukolade said on his Twitter account.

Serbia on Monday welcomed the peace and reconciliation agreement in Mali, signed on 28 February in Algiers following the inter-Malian inclusive negotiations under the auspices of Algeria. “The Republic of Serbia welcomes the peace and reconciliation agreement in Mali, signed on 28 February2015, after inter-Malian inclusive negotiations which lasted eight …

The EU warned Monday of a continued Russian military build-up in Crimea as it condemned Moscow’s “illegal annexation” of the peninsula from Ukraine one year ago. “The EU reaffirms its deep concern at the continuous military build-up and deterioration of the human rights situation in the Crimean peninsula, including the …

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko by phone Saturday to discuss U.S. military aid to Ukrainian fighters and to call on Russian-backed fighters to adhere to a ceasefire agreement, according to U.S.

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday said the Obama Administration is willing to engage in talks with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad towards a peace deal in Syria. Kerry’s comments came on the fourth anniversary of the Syrian uprising. UN figures put the number of dead at more than …