August, 2021

• 20 August

  Egypt counters Turkey’s influence in Mali via Al-Azhar

  

  Egypt seeks more influence in Mali through Al-Azhar, which is organizing a training program for a number of Malian imams in a bid to counter extremism. As Egypt steps up its efforts to boost its influence in the African continent, Al-Azhar announced Aug. 2 a training course for 23 imams …

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• 20 August

  Egypt weighs Hifter’s role in Libyan transition

  

  Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Hifter visited Cairo and met with the US ambassador to Libya at a time of heightened tensions between Hifter and the new Libyan government of national unity. US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland met with Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Hifter in Cairo Aug. …

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• 20 August

  Turkey views ties with Ethiopia as key to influence in Africa

  

  Turkey’s quest for normalization with Egypt and a new beginning with Sudan hinges on how far Ankara takes its relations with Ethiopia amid a simmering water dispute in the region over Ethiopia’s mega dam on the Nile. The crisis in the Nile basin over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has …

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• 20 August

  Intel: Faith, civic leaders call on Biden to prioritize ending Syria’s war

  

  In a letter to President Joe Biden, a group of Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders called for the administration to adopt “a resolute, diplomacy-first” policy on Syria. A coalition of civic and faith-based leaders is urging President Joe Biden to put Syria’s decadelong civil war at the top of his …

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• 20 August

  Ankara mulls ambitious but risky engagement with Taliban

  

  The Turkish government is eyeing a more independent — and riskier — role in Afghanistan after the Taliban’s blitz takeover of Kabul sidelined the United States earlier than expected. Ankara was perhaps among those most taken aback by the Taliban’s whirlwind takeover of Kabul and the earlier-than-expected US departure from …

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• 20 August

  Did China Outmaneuver the US and Embolden the Taliban?

  

  It’s no secret Chinese diplomats recently met with Taliban leadership. They likely saw the unfolding situation in Afghanistan as an opportunity to support a winning racehorse and gain more edge on their quest to become the new superpower. Incredibly, Secretary of State Blinken said that Chinese influence in Afghanistan could …

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• 20 August

  Secretary of Defense: ‘I Don’t Have the Capability’ to Escort Stranded Americans to Kabul Airport

  

  Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the U.S. will continue to evacuate all the Americans “they can” from Afghanistan, although the U.S. is currently unable to “go out and collect large numbers of people” from outside the Kabul airport. “It’s obvious we’re not close to where we want to …

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• 20 August

  Trump calls Afghanistan collapse ‘most humiliating’ moment for US

  

  Former President Donald Trump described the recent events in Afghanistan as the worst humiliation in American history but defended the agreement his administration struck with the Taliban last year. “It’s a great thing that we’re getting out, but nobody has ever handled a withdrawal worse than Joe Biden,” the former …

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• 20 August

  Afghan Leadership Failed To Stand Up To Taliban, Says NATO Chief

  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday (17 August) called on the Taliban to prevent Afghanistan from lapsing back into being a breeding ground for terrorism, and said the Western defence alliance has agreed to send additional evacuation planes to Kabul. Western powers are scrambling to respond to the fall-out from …

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• 20 August

  Taliban Declare Amnesty For Afghan Government Officials

  The Taliban has declared a general amnesty for former Afghan government officials, a statement by the Taliban said. “A general amnesty has been declared for all so you should have no doubt about resuming your normal activities,” the statement reads, TASS reported. Taliban members entered Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul on …

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