Africa

The two-month battle for the Islamic State group’s Libyan stronghold of Sirte has killed more than 240 unity government fighters and wounded over 1 400, a medic said on Tuesday. Forces loyal to the UN-backed Government of National Accord began an operation in May to recapture the coastal city which …

The United Nations peacekeeping chief says the official government death toll of 272, including 33 civilians, in the recent fighting in the capital is likely “only the tip of the iceberg”. Herve Ladsous told the Security Council on Wednesday that while a ceasefire in Juba, the capital, appears to be …

ZLibya’s new defence minister is said to have survived a car bomb assassination attempt, One of his guards was wounded by shrapnel. The media office of Mahdi al-Barghathi said on Thursday that the minister came under attack while leaving an army barrack in the eastern city of Benghazi, when a …

The Turkish deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmuş said Monday that Ankara did not take any step to “normalise” relations with Egypt, but it would like to restore bilateral affairs. Kurtulmuş’s declaration comes after Turkey recently improved its relations with both Russia and Israel.

Two Dutch UN peacekeepers were accidently killed and one seriously wounded Wednesday in an explosion in northwest Mali during a training exercise, the Dutch defence ministry said. “During the accident, two of our men lost their lives,” said The Netherlands’ Vice Chief of Defence, Vice Admiral Rob Bauer. “Another 23-year-old …

General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army has taken control of the city of Ajdabiya east of Sirte, Colonel Fawzi el Mansouri told broadcaster Libya’s Channel on Monday. “The security situation in Ajdabiya is under control,” said Col. El Mansouri, adding that militants of the Defend Benghazi Brigades (DBB) were prevented …

bya’s UN-backed unity government Monday evening held its first meeting in its new headquarters in Tripoli. The meeting was attended by top government officials, including Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.

China and Algeria on Monday expressed their will to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism, visiting Special Representative of Chinese Foreign Minister Wu Sike said. He said his visit aims at exchanging views on ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in political and economic fields and security, including the …

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Monday for an immediate arms embargo against South Sudan in response to an outbreak of heavy fighting that has left hundreds dead. Ban also appealed to the UN Security Council for targeted sanctions against South Sudanese leaders and commanders blocking implementation of a …

Three demonstrators were killed in northern Mali on Tuesday, a medical source said, in a protest concentrated on a contentious peace accord that Mali has been struggling to enact. Demonstrators said security forces opened fire when hundreds of young people set off on a banned march in the city of …