Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump said Monday that US special forces had captured a man linked to the 2012 attack on the American mission in the Libyan city of Benghazi. “Yesterday, on my orders, United States forces captured Mustafa al-Imam in Libya,” Trump said in …
Read More »UN-backed Libya talks hit new snag
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Talks between representatives of rival authorities in strife-torn Libya have hit a new snag after a parliamentary delegation suspended its participation in the UN-backed discussions hosted by Tunisia. Years of political turmoil since the 2011 overthrow of long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi have left Libya divided between …
Read More »EU: 20% fall in migrants from Libya: EU naval force
La Goulette, Tunisia | AFP | The number of illegal migrants leaving Libya for Europe has fallen by 20 percent so far in 2017, the European naval force charged with stopping people trafficking in the Mediterranean said Thursday. “We have seen a drop in the number of people leaving Libya for …
Read More »Libyan goes on trial over 2012 Benghazi attack that killed US envoy
Washington, United States | AFP | A Libyan militant accused of leading the September 11, 2012 attack on an American diplomatic compound in Benghazi that left the US ambassador and three others dead goes on trial Monday. Ahmed Abu Khattala is charged with 18 counts of murder, supporting terrorists and related …
Read More »Libya strongman asks Europe for helicopters to fight migration
Rome, Italy | AFP | Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar asked Europe for helicopters and drones to fight rampant migration on the southern border of the war-wracked country. The request came after the commander, who backs a Tobruk-based administration that controls much of the east and south of Libya, travelled …
Read More »Libya threatens to seize NGO migrant rescue boats
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | Libya’s navy warned it will seize activists’ boats on migrant rescue missions that enter its waters unauthorised, after a run-in Wednesday with a German vessel during which a warning shot was fired. “This time we avoided an escalation. In future, we will seize the boats of …
Read More »Tunisia offers to mediate in Libya crisis
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar visited neighbouring Tunisia on Monday for talks with President Beji Caid Essebsi, who offered to act as a mediator between rival Libyan factions. Libya, which plunged into chaos after the ouster and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, has two …
Read More »Libya, Italy net 5,000 migrants in a week
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | Libya’s coastguard has rescued over 3,000 migrants aiming to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in the past week, while Italy picked up another 2,000 in recent days, official and reports said Sunday. Though the numbers attempting the dangerous journey have dropped off significantly in recent months, …
Read More »Rival Libya govt seeks international recognition
Benghazi, Libya | AFP | The head of Libya’s rival government in the east called Sunday on the international community to recognise his administration which he says controls most of the North African country. Libya, which plunged into chaos after the ouster and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, has …
Read More »War crimes prosecutor renews call to arrest Libya commander
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Wednesday renewed her call for the immediate arrest of a senior Libyan commander wanted for war crimes, amid allegations he has killed more people. Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf Al-Werfalli “stands accused of serious crimes. I therefore call again on …
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