Eurasia

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi addressed the controversy over Egypt’s handing over of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia in a meeting with representatives of social, political and media groups, saying that the islands were Saudi according to official documents. El-Sisi called for the meeting Wednesday following a heated public …

A U.S. military delegation arrived in Cairo Tuesday for talks with Egyptian officials on means to boost joint military cooperation to counter the growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism in the region, Youm7 reported. The delegation is headed by Alexander Mark Laskaris; Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagement …

A Pentagon spokesperson says the US conducted airstrikes on Monday and Tuesday in Somalia that killed an estimated 12 militants affiliated with the al-Shabaab Islamic extremist group. The spokesperson, Navy Captain Jeff Davis, said the targeted militants posed an imminent threat to US personnel who were assisting Somali government forces …

Around 50 countries and international organisations met in Tunis on Tuesday to discuss “international support” for a new unity government in neighbouring Libya. The one-day meeting sponsored by the United Nations and Great Britain aims to allow representatives of the UN-backed authority to outline its priorities to rebuild the country’s …

South Sudan’s security officials have arrested and severely beaten 16 members of the rebels’ publicity team, days before the expected arrival of rebel leader Riek Machar, a spokesperson for the rebels said on Tuesday. The arrests of the rebel workers was “irresponsible,” said William Ezekiel, a spokesperson for the rebels’ …

Italy’s foreign minister arrived in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Tuesday in a show of support for a UN-backed unity government that Western nations hope can unite the oil-rich country and lead the fight against a powerful Islamic State affiliate. Paolo Gentiloni is the first European official to visit Libya …

Germany will send up to 650 soldiers to Mali, Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, to provide some relief to France in its global fight against the Islamic State jihadists. Von der Leyen made the announcement hours before German Chancellor Angela Merkel travels to Paris to meet President …

The lead vehicle of a convoy struck a land mine laid by extremists in northern Mali, killing three French soldiers in the deadliest single incident for the former colonizer’s forces in three years, officials said on Wednesday. About 60 vehicles were approaching the far northern town of Tessalit when the …

Every day lost in the implementation of Mali’s peace agreement is a day gained for extremist and terrorist groups that have bet heavily on the failure of the process, the UN peacekeeping chief said here Tuesday. Herve Ladsous, the UN under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, stressed that the Malian government and …

Algeria and France have expressed Sunday in Algiers as part of the 3rd session of the Algerian-French High Level Intergovernmental Committee (CIHN), their willingness to counter the various threats, including terrorism in the Sahel-Saharan region. The two parties, concerned over the geopolitical and security situation in the Sahel-Saharan region, “have …