Eurasia

Forty-two troops from the UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) have been killed – and at least 126 injured – since the mission was first deployed in 2013, according to a Friday statement issued by the UN. The statement was released following an armed ambush on a MINUSMA …

The United Nations mission in Mali says a government-allied militia has left a northern town it occupied last month following clashes with Tuareg separatists. In a statement on Tuesday evening, the UN mission said elements of the Platform militia coalition had withdrawn from Anefis two weeks after they first said …

Tunisian Foreign Minister Taïeb Baccouche, who is paying a working visit to Brussels, Thursday met with European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini. He also conferred with Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.

Libyan parties on Thursday will start discussions on candidates for the national unity government, head of the UN Support Mission to Libya (UNSMIL) Bernardino Leon said in Morocco. “The UNSMIL agrees the moment has come for expediting talks and starting the discussion on the candidates for the national unity government,” …

Libya’s peace process is passing through a hard time but deputy prime minister Abdul Salam al-Badri says there is still room for agreement between the country’s warring factions. Delegates for Libya’s internationally recognized government in Tobruk recalled its team from the United Nations peace talks with Tripoli, complaining about amendments …

Egypt’s Ministry of Defence announced on Monday that it has killed 11 “terrorists” and arrested 51 others, according to the official Facebook page of the army spokesperson. The move came during the eighth consecutive day of military operations in North Sinai named “Retribution of the Martyr”. Military forces have been …

Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has replaced the long-standing head of the country’s military intelligence agency, in his latest move to curb the spy chief’s influence in politics, two security sources and media said on Sunday.

Ukraine’s national security council on Wednesday approved a new military doctrine that declares Russia to be a military opponent and calls for the country to pursue NATO membership. There was no immediate official reaction from Russia, which hotly denies claims that it has sent troops and equipment to separatist rebels …

The European Union has pledged to extend for another six months the sanctions against Russian companies and individuals that undermine the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. “The way forward is to re-double our efforts to support the reform process in Ukraine and to resist attempts to destabilize the country,” …

A new round of the Libyan political dialogue commenced at the United Nations Office at Geneva on Thursday, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, Bernardino Leon, will hold a number of meetings with the parties on Thursday and Friday.