London – British, French and US military personnel have travelled to Libya to identify potential targets for airstrikes against Islamic States (ISIS) forces, the Sunday Times reported. Six British air force officers joined intelligence officers, diplomats and US and French military personnel on a reconnaissance mission near the coastal city …
Read More »Egypt attacks in Sinai leave 4 security forces dead
Cairo – Two Egyptian policemen and two soldiers were killed on Sunday in two bombing attacks in the country’s restive Sinai Peninsula, where ISIS jihadists have regularly attacked security forces. In one attack at dawn, a remotely-detonated bomb hit a police vehicle as security forces were carrying out a search …
Read More »France promises aid for Tunisia
Paris – France provides one billion euros to Tunisia over the next five years as part of an economic support program, the French presidency said Friday. “A major aspect of this plan is to help poor regions and youth, with emphasis on employment,” said the office of French President Francois …
Read More »Libya: a new unity government proposed before 10 days
In Libya, negotiations are continuing around the composition of the future government. Following the rejection of its first proposal by a large majority by the Parliament of Tobruk, on Monday, the Libyan Prime Minister, Fayez el-Sarraj has ten days to submit a new cabinet to MPs. “At the request of …
Read More »Algeria’s Bouteflika dissolves spy unit, creates new agency
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has dissolved the long-standing military spy directorate known as the DRS, creating a new agency under the control of the presidency in another step to ease the military out of politics, security sources said. Bouteflika, rarely been seen in public since he suffered a stroke in …
Read More »Kenyan troops pull out of Somali town after deadly attack
Mogadishu – Residents say Kenyan forces have pulled out of a town in southwestern Somalia where Islamic extremists killed Kenyan peacekeepers recently. Ahmed Hassan, who lives in El-Ade, said the town is “no man’s land now” after Kenyan troops started withdrawing early on Tuesday and heading toward the Kenyan border.
Read More »Kenya flies back bodies of troops killed in Somalia attack
Nairobi – The bodies of Kenyan soldiers killed when Al-Qaeda-linked militants overran their base in Somalia were flown home late on Monday draped in the national flag as a rescue operation was underway for survivors. Defence Minister Raychelle Omamo called the dead “VIPs, the fallen heroes” as four coffins arrived …
Read More »UN: South Sudan rival leaders qualify for sanctions
Juba – South Sudan’s president and a rebel leader both merit sanctions because their troops have targeted civilians and broken international law, a UN panel of experts says in a new report obtained by The Associated Press. The report also calls for an arms embargo on the oil-rich but economically …
Read More »Tunisia declares nationwide curfew after violent protests
The Tunisian government has declared a nationwide curfew amid days of protests and rioting over jobs and economic conditions. Authorities have arrested at least 19 people in the unrest that has been considered the worst since 2011. This has been the call of hundreds of people in the impoverished central …
Read More »Libya, Algeria discuss counterterrorism co-operation
Visiting Libyan Prime Minister Faiz Al-Siraj on Monday was received by Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, as the recent developments in violence- ridden Libya were on the agenda. Following the meeting, Al-Seraj told reporters that he discussed with Bouteflika and Sellal “a couple of issues of common interest, including strengthening the …
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