Africa

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed a retired Dutch general to lead an independent investigation into allegations that UN peacekeepers did not take action to prevent multiple cases of abuse and sexual violence against civilians and foreigners in South Sudan’s capital in July.

Libya’s unity government has asked Washington, which is backing an air campaign against the Islamic State group in Sirte, to step up its military assistance, the US Africa Command said on Thursday. Fayez al-Sarraj, leader of the Government of National Accord (GNA), made the request during talks on Wednesday in …

Libyan tribal leaders have signed a reconciliation deal in Tunisia with a view to halting fighting in eastern Libya and the city of Benghazi. Speaking to reporters early Saturday, Mohamed al-Moghrabi, a representative of tribes in the northwestern city of Misurata, underlined keenness on maintaining Libya’s territorial integrity. “We reject …

Libyan government forces have reported major gains against Islamic State militants in the coastal city of Sirte. Our forces “have managed to control the internal security headquarters” in the city, Mohamed al-Ghosri, a spokesman for the government’s ongoing anti-IS campaign, told Anadolu Agency on Sunday. He said government forces have …

The commander of the United States central command concluded a two-day official visit, departing from Egypt on Friday morning. During his visit, Joseph Votel met with Defence Minister Sedki Sobhi, the Egyptian Armed Forces chief of staff Mahmoud Hegazy, and a number of top military officials.

Algeria on Sunday condemned the attack that targeted a wedding ceremony in Turkey, while urging the international community for wider cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The Algerian Foreign Ministry described the terrorist attack that hit Turkey on Saturday night as a “perfidious act.”

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived on Sunday in Kenya to hold talks with leaders of the East African nation that are expected to focus on regional security and extremism. Kerry’s plane touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday night, where he was welcomed by Foreign Affairs …

Air force units of Libya’s unity government launched an operation on Saturday to cut off potential escape routes for jihadists holed up in the coastal city of Sirte, loyalist forces said. The forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA), on their Facebook page, said the surveillance operation covered central …

Turkey wants to repair its ties with Egypt, after relations soured over the removal of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday. Relations between Ankara and Cairo took a nosedive after the Egyptian military deposed Morsi on July 30, 2013. Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood …

Secretary of State John Kerry will be in Africa on Monday for talks in Kenya and Nigeria on countering terrorism before visiting Saudi Arabia to discuss the conflict in Yemen. Kerry first meets with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on regional issues including the upheaval in neighbouring South Sudan and security …