Eurasia

Libyan factions split over army leadership

Libyan factions involved in UN-brokered peace talks are still far apart on the issue of the leadership of a future national army, the head of one of two rival parliaments said on Monday. Abdulrahman Swehli said delegations from both the Tripoli State Council that he leads and from a parliament …

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UN could increase peacekeepers in CAR

The Security Council is deciding whether to increase the number of United Nations peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR), one of the recommendations put forward by Secretary-General António Guterres for strengthening the operation, which was discussed at today’s meeting in New York.

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Niger to let US forces arm drones in counter-terrorism fight

Niger will allow US forces stationed in the country to arm the drones being used to track jihadists, having previously allowed their use only for surveillance, the government said on Saturday. The decision comes a month after jihadists ambushed a joint US-Niger patrol in a volatile area near the border …

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Afghanistan security forces kill 54 rebels in operations

At least 54 rebels were killed and several others sustained injuries during clashes with Afghan security forces in the past 24-hours across Afghanistan, said Ministry of Defense on Friday. The casualties inflicted on the insurgents in Nangarhar, Ghazni, Paktia, Kandahar, Zabul, Farah, Balkh, Jawzjan, Faryab, Kunduz, Baghlan, and Helmand provinces …

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NATO backs intra-Afghan dialogue

NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Cornelius Zimmermann has stressed timely holding of upcoming election, saying, “With transparent polls, people’s trust in the democratic process increases.” Zimmermann made the remarks during a meeting with a number of Afghan journalists at his office. He said the new US strategy on Afghanistan …

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US Coalition drived out IS from 95% of former lands

Syria’s army announced it had taken Deir al-Zour early on Friday. IS had held most of Deir al-Zour since 2014, important because of its proximity to the border with Iraq. While the Syrian army said it had been re-captured, other reports said government forces and their allies were clearing the …

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Iraqi forces raid Qaem city

Iraqi government forces on Friday raided Al-Qaem city west of Anbar province in pursuit of fighters of the so-called Islamic State (IS) and eliminate their strongholds. Regular military troops, anti-terrorism squads, popular and tribal forces began the raid starting from Saada, Al-Karablah, and Hasiba areas, part of Al-Qaem surrounding towns, …

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Sisi, Macron discuss co-operation in Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron met Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Al Sisi on Tuesday during a three-day visit to France focusing on economic co-operation and the fight against extremism. Macron on Tuesday declined to publicly comment on the rights record of his Egyptian counterpart Sisi, saying he was in not in …

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UN chief urges dialogue in CAR

Militia groups in Central African Republic (CAR) should lay down their arms and join the political process, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said late Thursday. “Central African religious communities — Christians, Muslims and others — have always lived together,” he told a news conference in the capital Bangui, according to …

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US carries out first airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia

he US military for the first time has conducted two airstrikes against Islamic State group fighters in Somalia, where the group is a growing presence in a country long threatened by the al-Qaeda-linked extremist group al-Shabaab. A US official said the strikes were carried out in northeastern Somalia, with the …

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