Maghreb Edition

Libya: Despite calls for ceasefire, Haftar continues to attack TripoliF



Posted On 22 January 2020

Number of times this article was read : 597

There is little to no hope that warlord Khalifa Haftar and his supporters will listen to calls for reason and endorse a ceasefire. The UN Security Council called Tuesday on the warring parties in Libya to quickly reach a ceasefire. AFP quotes the security council as saying “The members of the Security Council urged the Libyan parties to engage constructively in the five + five military commission in order to conclude a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible.” That was on Tuesday. But today (Wednesday), there was a rocket attack from the Haftar clan that forced the suspension of all flights into and out of Mitiga airport, Tripoli’s only functioning airport. Mitiga has been a key target of the Haftar forces so as to prevent air traffic over Tripoli and isolate the leaders of the Government of National Accord, which Haftar wants to destroy. Mitiga airport was hit by six rockets, according to AFP.

Podcast: Development Without Aid: Power, Politics, and Local Resilience in the Global South$

A conversation with Dr. Kate Schecter, President and CEO of World Neighbors, on how community-led development works in practice across the Global South.

Subscribe to Urgent Notifications and Newsletter

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Egypt joins China’s tariff-free initiative as Beijing opens its market to nearly all of AfricaF

Egypt joined China’s expanded zero-tariff scheme on 1 May 2026, gaining duty-free access to the Chinese market alongside 52 other African countries with diplomatic ties to Beijing. The move eliminates tariffs that previously ran from 8 to 30 percent on key Egyptian exports, though the arrangement is a two-year preferential window through April 2028 rather than a permanent deal, and non-tariff barriers like rules of origin and phytosanitary standards still apply.

While its minorities are winning World Cup games, France is preparing to pivot to the far rightF

As France’s multiethnic World Cup squad marches toward the semifinals, the country’s 2027 presidential race is tilting hard right. Right-winger Marine Le Pen leads first-round polling and beats nearly every rival in hypothetical runoffs. With RN president Jordan Bardella waiting in the wings and Jean-Luc Mélenchon consolidating the left, France’s fractured center may not be able to stop either a far-right or hard-left runoff in 2027. Here is our take.

Egypt Clears $6.1 Billion Oil and Gas Arrears, Energy Sector Looks to Rebuild Investor TrustF

Egypt has fully paid the $6.1 billion in arrears it owed foreign oil and gas partners, ending a multi-year backlog tied to its foreign-currency crunch. With the debt paid down to zero by mid-2026, officials are pairing the settlement with new investment incentives and a push to revive onshore drilling, aiming to reverse years of declining crude output.

Written by Arezki Daoud

Arezki Daoud is The North Africa Journal Editor and MEA Risk LLC’s Chief Executive and Lead Analyst. At the North Africa Journal Arezki oversees content development and sets the editorial policies and guidelines. Arezki is an expert on African affairs, with primary focus on the Maghreb, Sahel and Egypt. His coverage of the region spans from security and defense to industrial and economic issues. His expertise includes the energy sector and doing business in the region. At MEA Risk, Arezki oversees all aspects of the company’s development, from the research agenda to growth strategy and day-to-day business activity. Arezki brings a wealth of skills. After college, he worked for oil company Sonatrach's Naftal unit, then held research, forecasting and consulting positions for the likes of Harvard University, IDG and IDC. Arezki can be reached at daoud@north-africa.com, at US+508-981-6937 or via Skype at arezki.daoud