Africa

Tunisian security forces, extremists clash near Algerian border

Tunisia’s government says a gunbattle between security forces and extremists preparing an imminent attack has left three troops and one of the attackers dead. Mohamed Ali Aroui, a spokesperson for Tunisia’s interior ministry, says the firefight in the tense region of Sidi Bouzid began around dawn on Monday when security …

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Sudanese President arrives in Khartoum

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir arrived in the capital Khartoum on Monday, a witness said. Television footage showed Bashir descending from a plane that had flown him from Johannesburg where he attended the African Union summit. He appeared relaxed as he greeted various Sudanese officials.

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Mali troops make first forays in northern region

For Malian troops making their first forays into the country’s north since jihadists took control, French military support provides reassurance at a time when they are strangers in their own back yard. Islamist militias linked to Al-Qaeda — some foreign fighters but most homegrown jihadists — seized the vast expanse …

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AU official: political solution is the only option for Libya

There is “no alternative” to the “quick” implementation of the political solution in Libya, Minister for the Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League, Abdelkader Messahel declared. Questioned on Thursday by APS on the conclusions of the meeting held on Wednesday in Berlin on Libya, Messahel welcomed the fact that …

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Somali PM predicts Shabaab to be defeated by end of 2015

Somalia’s prime minister predicted Monday that al-Shabaab extremists will be defeated militarily by the end of the year but he said tackling the root causes that attract young people to the al-Qaeda-linked group will take some time. Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke told reporters after a closed-door meeting of the UN …

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Suspected jihadists kill policeman in southern Mali

Suspected jihadists killed a policeman in a rare attack in southern Mali Wednesday, hoisting their black flag at the local military base, just days before the country’s main Tuareg-led rebel movement is expected to sign a peace deal. The West African nation remains divided among rival armed factions, plagued by …

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IS takes over power plant in northwest Libya

Islamic State (IS)-affiliated militants on Tuesday took over a power plant in the northern coastal city of Sirte in Libya, according to the group and a military source. “The caliphate soldiers stormed the power plant, where the infidels of Libya Dawn were stationed. They took over the plant with the …

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Egyptian army kills 5 extremists in North Sinai

Security forces targeted early Tuesday a group of “highly dangerous extremists” in North Sinai, killing five of them, a military source said. The source said four of the killed suspected militants were plotting a “terrorist operation” against security forces in the Sheikh Zuweid region.

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UN welcomes Algerian efforts on Mali reconciliation

President of The United Nations General Assembly, Sam Kahamba Kutesa, on Monday here hailed the “leadership and contribution” of Algeria to the settlement of the Malian crisis. “I commend Algeria for its leadership and contribution to resolving the conflict in Mali. This process was led by the Algerian top diplomat …

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