As counter-terror campaign intensifies in Algeria, Libya’s weapons making their way into the country
In the first four months of 2016, the Algerian army has killed 31 Islamist insurgents, and captured 33 others nationwide. Furthermore, an arsenal of war big enough to wreck havoc was siezed, including over 300 war weapons were retrieved, 202 hideouts were destroyed and a dozen explosive…
A Status Quo Change in Libya?
Libya is going through a substantial transformation and that’s not without pain. There have intense negotiations over the past months, perhaps as intense as the fighting within Libya, which is struggling with so many competing militias, and competing interests of foreign governments. We asked top Analyst Hakim…
Tunisia in Retrospect and the Tough Choices Ahead
In one year, Tunisia has been tormented by no less than five large scale, dramatic terrorist attacks all perpetrated by the Islamic State. It all started on March 18, 2015, the day that two « lone wolves » stormed the Bardo museum of Tunis and opened fire…
BP and Statoil Reducing their Staffs in Algeria: Consequences on Business Continuity
Although the recent terror attempt on an Algerian gas site, signed by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) caused no physical damage, it has had without any doubt some psychological impact on jittery companies and on authorities scrambling to secure the area. Because of what came after…
Mortar shell attack on an Algerian gas field, no casualties
According to MEA Risk sources, an insurgent group has attacked a gas field exploited by the Algerian state-owned energy company Sonatrach, Statoil and BP in the In Salah gas site of Krechba, in the Saharian province of Ghardaia. Two homemade mortar shells were fired; the first one…
Dozens Killed in Tunisia Confrontation
In what is one of the most daring border attacks to date, early this morning a group of men, coming from Libya, attacked the border town of Ben Guerdane in Tunisia. While Tunisia largely suffered from urban-style terror attacks, as militants have been confined in remote mountain…
Libya Crisis Update: Latest Development
The crisis in Libya is accelerating. MEA Risk Trackers and Analysts say that most major militias have joined the fight against the Islamic State organization ever since the US bombing of an IS site in Sebratha on Friday. The contribution of the various militias hint on efforts…
Bombing of Libya Looms as Neighboring States Seek to Seal the Borders and Build Refugee Towns
Fresh troop movements and unusual activity along the Algeria-Libya borders are clear indications of the potential for an imminent Western offensive in Libya, according to MEA Risk security trackers. The Algerian authorities, fearful for the consequences of a generalized foreign military intervention in Libya, are setting up…
US Enters the Libyan Conflict, But Purpose of Attack Unclear
As predicted by the North Africa Journal’s sister company MEA Risk LLC, the Western intervention in Libya has started yesterday, as U.S. forces kicked off an air campaign in Sabratha, 40 miles west of Tripoli. Although earlier MEA Risk analysts predicted the target to be the IS…
Populations: Europe’s Radicalized Muslim Population
Europe’s integration policies related to its immigrants have been less than effective in stemming the rise of extremism. Decades of misconceived immigration strategies have led to the rise of radical movements, to the point now that new measures to strip the nationality for those with dual citizenship…
Oil prices & the impact on Sovereign Wealth Funds Libya as a case
By Omar Khattaly: The drop in oil prices in the last 12 months has taken markets and investors by surprise. State institutions such as Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWF) have been affected and state budgets have suffered. SWF will grow slowly and in many cases will see some…
As Terror Becomes Part of the “New Normal” in Tunisia, Business Learns to Cope with the Terror Risk
The recent terror attacks on two hotels in Sousse and in the Bardo Museum in Tunis had a direct negative impact on the critically important tourism industry. Bookings were canceled, so did the flights that linked Tunisia to Europe, affecting thousands of jobs amid hotel closures. All…
Metrojet crash in the Sinai is likely to worsen Egyptian economy
MEA Risk LLC released a research note following the UK government’s ordering a suspension of flights to the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, as a result of what it believed to be a strong likelihood of a bomb that downed the Russian airplane. Metrojet Flight 9268, a…
With Peugeot-Citroen Joining Renault, Oran becomes the Capital of Algeria’s Car Assembly Business
Although the companies have not made a formal announcement yet, the Wali (governor) of Oran in western Algeria says his province…
Tunisia’s Crises
Tunisia is facing a multi-faceted crisis, top of which is the ongoing unemployment protests that highlight the weakening of the Tunisian…
Egypt Jeopardizes Tourism and FDI Recovery with Disruptive Policies
The sustained attacks by IS and other insurgents against tourist targets in Egypt have had a severe dampening effect on the…
IS Looking to Widen North Africa Operations, says MEA Risk
There are a lot of chatters and pronouncements in various places about the Islamic State organization (Daesh) seeking to expand its…
Lack of Coordination and Panic Compromise the African Military Coalition Fighting Boko Haram
Government Troops battling Boko Haram in West, Central Africa and in the Sahel appear poorly equipped and badly trained to deal…
Morocco’s Billions Stashed in Private Swiss Accounts
It is not such a shocking news to learn that Africa’s political and business leaders have long been breaching the trust…
