Africa

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday sentenced former DRC vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in jail for a series of brutal rapes and murders in Central African Republic over a decade ago. “The chamber sentences Mr Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to a total of 18 years …

Libya’s unity government forces said on Tuesday they were preparing for a final assault on the Islamic State group’s stronghold of Sirte, after repelling multiple counter-attacks from the surrounded jihadists. “Despite apparent calm along the fronts, our intelligence network is in full swing in preparation for the decisive battle,” forces …

The Tunisian president’s office on Monday announced a one-month extension of a state of emergency across the entire country beginning on June 21. The state of emergency was proclaimed by President Beji Caid Essebsi after a terrorist attack on a bus carrying presidential guards in central Tunis on November 24, …

Egyptian and French naval forces began on Monday joint naval exercises using Egypt’s Mistral helicopter carrier, after receiving it from France earlier this month. The exercises, dubbed Cleopatra 2016, will last for several days, state news agency MENA reported quoting an army statement. The exact location of the exercises has …

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg held a meeting with Mohamed Taha Siala on Friday during which they discussed the political and security situation in Libya. According to a NATO’s web site on 17 June 2016, the meeting comes as part of the ongoing discussions on how NATO can help Libya improve …

Algerian army has killed as many as 73 armed militants in different operations across the country in the past five months, the Algerian Defense Ministry said on Saturday. In its June issue, the Algerian Army’s “El Djeich” monthly magazine specified that counter-terrorism operations that have been launched between January and …

The Algerian top diplomat will kick off on Monday a two-day working visit in the Malian capital Bamako to boost peace in Northern Mali, Foreign Ministry said Saturday. Ramtane Lamamra, Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will co-chair with his Malian counterpart Abdoulaye Diop the 11th bilateral strategic …

The European Union (EU) on Monday hailed the “crucial” role played by Algeria as leader of the international mediation team for the conclusion of the Peace and Reconciliation Accord in Mali and its effective implementation. “The EU hailed the “crucial” role played by Algeria in the peace process in Mali,” …

Algerian soldiers killed eight armed Islamist militants in an operation south of the capital on Sunday, the defence ministry said. It said the eight “terrorists” were killed in an ambush in a mountainous area of the Medea region, about 80km south of Algiers. Arms and ammunition were seized, it said.

EU foreign ministers on Monday agreed to boost the bloc’s anti-people smuggling operation in the Mediterranean to include training of the Libyan coastguard and enforcing a UN arms embargo. Ministers also agreed to extend Operation Sophia’s mandate by one year, a statement said, as the European Union tries to stem …