Eurasia

NATO’s chief said on Thursday that he had received a formal request from Libya to help strengthen its security institutions and that the alliance is looking into exactly what can be done. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that the 28 allies could help build up the Libyan defense ministry …

An armed group executed at least 32 civilians and captured fighters in the lawless heart of Central African Republic in December, Human Rights Watch said Thursday. “In the town of Bakala, rebels from the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC) on Dec. 12, executed 25 people after …

A large quantity of arms and ammunition has been discovered Thursday by a detachment of the Algerian People’s National Army in the border region of Taoundert, west of Tin Zaouatine, in the province of Tamanrasset (1970-km south of Algiers), said the Ministry of National Defence in a statement.

Tunisia will host, on Monday, March 1, a meeting of foreign ministers of Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt to take stock of the outcome of contacts established by the three countries with the Libyan stakeholders ahead of a comprehensive political settlement of the Libyan crisis, Foreign Minister, Khemaies Jhinaoui announced on …

The five terrorists killed Wednesday in a combing operation conducted by combined detachment of the People’s National Army (ANP) near the commune of El-Adjiba, sub-prefecture of Bechloul, in the province of Bouira, were identified, announced the National Defence Ministry in a communiqué.

Tunisia has extended for another three months a state of emergency in place since a 2015 jihadist attack, the president’s office announced on Thursday. President Beji Caid Essebsi has decided “to extend the state of emergency for three months from 16 February”, his office said.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday demanded armed groups in the Central African Republic immediately halt fighting and join peace talks after the UN airstrikes targeted rebel fighters. The UN attack helicopters opened fire over the weekend on gunmen advancing on the central city of Bambari.

Rival powers in Libya have agreed to form a committee to explore amending a UN-backed deal to end the country’s political turmoil, Egypt announced on Wednesday after hosting talks. The head of Libya’s unity government Fayez al-Sarraj and rival army chief Marshal Khalifa Haftar had been in Cairo this week …

Egypt’s chief-of-staff has mediated between two Libyan rivals who refused to meet face to face in Cairo but later agreed to form a committee to renegotiate a UN peace deal. Colonel Tamer el-Rifai, an Egyptian army spokesperson, says the two – the head of Libya’s UN-backed government, Fayez Serraj, and …

Tunisian Foreign minister Khamis Al Jheinawi discussed with the UN Envoy to Libya Martin Kobler developments in Libya. The meeting between Kobler and Jheinawi dealt with efforts being made by Tunisia in collaboration with Libya’s neighboring countries to push for a political settlement, and encourage Libyans of all political affiliations …