South Sudan: embassies warn of new violence ahead of Pope’s historic visit

British, Norwegian and the US embassies have expressed grave concerns about possible new fighting in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State just a day before the planned arrival of Pope Francis on Friday (3 February) for his first visit to the conflict-torn country. The warning by the so-called Troika Embassies about the possible fresh violence has […]

Algeria: AI condemns arbitrary detention of Yemeni asylum seekers

Algeria, which had persecuted, chased and driven back manu-militari thousands of sub-Saharan migrants, is now mistreating Yemeni refugees who fled the war in their country. According to the human rights watchdog Amnesty International, Algerian authorities are holding seven Yemeni asylum seekers in “harsh and unsafe conditions” in a prison in Algiers and are threatening them […]

Libya: Dialogue reaches final stages amid deep uncertainty

Libya peace talks to lead to a unified government are drawing towards the end-of-August deadline suggested by UNMIL Chief Bernardino Leon while deep divisions among the rival factions still persist. With the United Nations-supported political dialogue process in Libya nearing its last stages, “time is running out” for leaders on all sides and at all […]