Africa

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday urged Morocco and the Polisario movement campaigning for the independence of Western Sahara to withdraw soldiers and fighters from a buffer strip who have sent tensions soaring. Ban said he was “deeply concerned over the tense situation that has developed in the narrow buffer …

Three Tunisian soldiers were killed in a “terrorist attack” on Monday near Mount Sammama, a hideout for jihadists at war with the authorities, security sources said. The attack left six other soldiers wounded, without giving further details.

The UN Security Council is planning a trip to South Sudan next week to persuade President Salva Kiir to accept a new regional protection force or face an arms embargo, diplomats said on Friday. Ambassadors from the 15-member council are scheduled to travel from September 2 to 7 for meetings …

Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to reopen their common border and extend an oil transit agreement that allows landlocked South Sudan to use Sudan’s pipelines to export its oil, South Sudan’s officials said on Tuesday. The agreements were reached during the visit by a delegation from South Sudan headed …

Fighting between government troops and opposition forces in South Sudan’s northeastern state of Jonglei last Friday left 153 people dead, a government army spokesperson said. Lul Ruai Koang claimed that the opposition troops linked to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In-Opposition (SPLA-IO) attacked the Pajut military base in Duk County, but …

Spokesman for Tunisia’s National Defence Ministry, Colonel-Major Belhassen Oueslati announced that a camp of militants had been discovered on the heights of Kef. Tunisia forces discovered the camp during combing operations on the heights of Kef, Ouergha and Touiref, he pointed out.

The Algerian army killed a “terrorist” and seized his weapon in northern Algeria, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. The militant was killed in an ambush set up by anti-terrorist units in Guedjati city in Batna province, 550 km southeast of capital Algiers, the ministry said in a statement.

Algerian Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and the Arab League Abdelkader Messahel said Sunday his country and neighbouring Niger share identical views regarding the fights against terrorism and illegal immigration. “These issues that have been the subject of broad exchange of views and, as usual, our views are totally …

The United States has begun using attack helicopters to target the Islamic State group in the jihadists’ Libyan former stronghold of Sirte, a defence official said on Tuesday. American jets have since the start of August been helping fighters loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA) retake the coastal …

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday congratulated Nigeria on its recent military successes against Boko Haram, but warned the country will face a blowback if it “cracks down” on the Islamists with excessive force. Speaking at a press conference in the northern city of Sokoto, Kerry praised Nigeria …