First Independent Mena Newspaper
Heavy fighting erupted in Mali’s restive north between the Tuaregs of the Coordination of movements of Azawad (CMA) and the pro-government militias of the the Platform Movement causing dozen deaths and casting doubt on the viability of the fragile peace deal. The clashes, which took place on July 21-22, broke out in the town of […]
Five people arrested for alleged link with Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel; the Nice lorry driver who killed 84 people on France’s National Day, have been formerly charged by French justice. The suspects were arrested following the attacks and are reportedly members of Bouhlel’s entourage. The prosecutor’s office on Thursday held three suspects, namely Ramzi A., 21, […]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its 2016 growth forecast for the Middle East and North Africa on the backdrop of a slight increase in oil prices, but maintained its cautious outlook for Saudi Arabia. The Washington-based Fund said in its July 2016 World Economic Update report that the Middle East, along with Pakistan and […]
French interior minister indicated Monday that security authorities have not yet established any link between the lorry driver Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel and terrorist organizations even though the Islamic State (IS) group Saturday claimed responsibility of the Thursday attack at Nice which caused the death of 84 people. Bernard Cazeneuve told French RTL that it is not […]
French President Francois Holland announced, in an early Friday address to the nation, the extension of the state of emergency for three additional months and the raising of the national security level following Thursday lorry attack in Nice, which killed at least 84 people and injured scores, including 18 in critical condition. The state of […]
The election of Algeria’s man Brahim Ghali, which came as no surprise since he was the sole candidate, bodes ill for the region’s peace and stability, Spanish expert in Sahara issue Chema Gil said. Brahim Ghali, former polisario representative in Algiers, represents the “most dangerous group in the Polisario”, Gil told Morocco’s national news agency, […]
IHS Jane’s Intelligence Weekly Magazine, an offshoot of the British Jane’s Information Group specializing in military and security issues, has recently downplayed the Polisario’s threats to resume hostilities against Morocco over the Saharan provinces, at a context marked by preparations to install an Algerian-imposed successor to the long-serving Polisario leader Mohamed Abdelaziz, who passed away […]
France flatly rejected on Saturday claims by the Algerian state-owned new agency APS that diplomatic tension between Paris and Rabat led to the postponement of French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault’s week-end visit to Morocco. “I categorically deny (the claims by APS;) this is not the case. This is a technical postponement that is in no […]
Member of the European Parliament Gilles Pargneaux recently sent a letter to the Algerian Ambassador in Brussels decrying Algeria’s blatant involvement in the perpetuation of the Sahara conflict, Morocco’s national news agency MAP reported on Sunday. Pargneaux, who was criticized by Algeria’s Ambassador for supporting Morocco’s autonomy initiative to end the conflict, deplored that Algeria […]
World leaders from Europe to America stood in support of Turkey following the series of deadly explosions that rocked Istanbul’s busy Ataturk Airport on Tuesday evening in an attack Turkish officials blame on the Islamic State group. About 40 people are confirmed to have been killed, and 147 injured, in the gun and bombing attack. […]