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LIBYA
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The Jihadists are back
The North Africa Journal - 22 November, 2017: Although authorities have so far been able to contain the militant threat in most parts of North Africa, while Libya is bearing the brunt of the violence and Egypt struggling to contain insurgents, the region at-large is...
The disgraceful practice of human trafficking in Libya
The North Africa Journal - November 16, 2017: International organizations and human rights groups have long been aware of the mistreatment of Sub-Sahara migrants moving through Libya in an effort to reach Western Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. But the disgraceful...
As Algeria ups its defensive capabilities, North Africa braces for an influx of new insurgents
The North Africa Journal - September 7, 2017: Over the past 20 years, the Algerian defense system has been largely built based on countering terrorism and militant groups. While the country’s defense forces also looked at conventional external threats, including the...
The Sahel about to be more militarized, as Russia looks for some action in Niger and Nigeria
The North Africa Journal- August 23, 2017- More trouble ahead for the Sahel region and West Africa. On 22 August, Russia's Defense Ministry announced that it has signed a military cooperation agreement with Nigeria and Niger. The deal not only will allow officers from...
Video: Migrant crisis: How Italy is training Libyan coast guards
Libya: The unlikely return of peace with Haftar and Serraj in the driving seat
The North Africa Journal- July 27, 2017: By Arezki Daoud: Two Libyan leaders, UN-backed, Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj and the self-promoted Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the man whose stronghold is in the east of the country, met in Paris this week under the...
Libya: Shifting sands in the militia and insurgency movements
The North Africa Journal - June 12, 2017: Tracking and understanding the various militias and insurgent groups involved in the Libya conflict is no trivial exercise. This is because the situation shifts quickly in reaction to the many events that force continuous...
Italy’s dangerous bet that Libya would help contain migration flows
The North Africa Journal: June 9, 2017: Italy is naturally troubled by the massive inflow of migrants from Africa and other regions via Libya. Since January 2017, over 50,000 migrants ended up on the Italian shores, a figure that is a stunning 45% increase from the...
Libya/Egypt: Egyptian air strikes target Derna’s al-Jabilah neighborhood
Egypt has launched air strikes on Derna’s al-Jabilah neighborhood on 26 May in retaliation for the attack on Coptic Christians in Minia on the same day. It is believed that al-Jabilah harbors Islamic State training camps. In a televised address, President Abdelfattah...
Libya: Rival militias skirmish in several Tripoli neighborhoods
Armed clashes between rival militias were reported throughout the Tripoli neighborhoods of bu Salim, Hai Damscus, Al-Hadba, Salah Eddine, Hai Akhwakh, Hai Nasir and Bab Ben Ghashir on 26 May. Security sources revealed that a shell fell on the HQ of the Libyan branch...
After failing to make its case against Goldman Sachs, Libya’s sovereign wealth fund takes Société Générale to court
The North Africa Journal - May 4, 2017: The Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) is back to the UK to sue the French financial giant Société Générale (SG) for corruption in front of a London court. LIA is still valued at some $60 billion and has been seeking to recover...
Despite economic hardship, defense spending in North Africa & Sahel on the rise
The North Africa Journal | April 27, 2017: Despite severe economic performances affecting the countries’ revenues, North Africa, including the Sahel, witnessed an increase in military expenditure in 2016, growing 2.2% to US$ 21.264 billion versus 2015. The...
Libya: Five killed in LNA air strike
The North Africa Journal | April 26, 2017: At least five people were killed, and seven others were wounded in air strikes targeting the central prison and headquarter of the joint security room of Sebha, both of which are Islamist footholds.
Algeria reinforces troops in southeast border, as crisis deepens in south Libya
The North Africa Journal - April 27, 2017: Although Algeria has been deploying more military assets along its western and southern borders, its biggest concern by far these days remains the potential for incursion of all sorts of militants from Libya. The Algerian...
Libya: HoR devided over budget proposals (by MEA Risk)
MEA Risk: March 28, 2017- The Tobruk-based House of Representatives seem to be deeply divided about the budget proposal and overall agenda. The debate on the 2017 budget was cut short after several MPs objected it, claiming that the political crisis should be a...
Egypt: Russian troops in Egypt, near Libya border to help Haftar retake control of oil sites
The North Africa Journal - 14 March 2017 - An unidentified number of Russian troops is reported to have been deployed in an Egyptian airbase near the Libyan border. Various media outlets say the Russian presence was to bring support to the Libyan military commander...
Libya: Egypt claims AQIM participated in seizure of oil-rich town
According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, elements of Al-Qaeda participated in the attack on Libya's oil crescent.
Libya: Eastern assembly (HoR) pulls out of political dialogue
The North Africa Journal - March 8, 2017 - The House of Representative’s (HoR) voted to suspend its involvement in the Libya Dialogue process today. It also rejected Annex No. 1 of the Libyan Political Agreement which names the members of the Presidency Council. The...
Libya: LNA attempts to retake oil crescent area
By MEA Risk: March 5, 2017: The Libyan National Army of General Khalifa Haftar are in the process of retaking Ras Lanuf from the Islamist militia Benghazi Defense Brigades on 4 March. At least 15 soldiers have been killed in the last 48 hours and ten are known to be...
Libya: 60 inmates escape from local prison in Wadi al-Shatti
On 25 February, at least 60 inmates at the prison of Wadi al-Shatti have escaped after a group of gunmen attacked the jail to free a prisoner. Twenty have been recaptured, but forty others are at large. According to the news agency LANA, the incident happened two days...
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