First Independent Mena Newspaper
In a landmark shift in U.S. foreign policy, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officially closed its doors on Tuesday (1 July), with all operations absorbed by the State Department. The decision, driven by President Trump’s executive order and enacted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marks the end of a 63-year institution central […]
Former US ambassador to Tunisia Gordon Gray has urged the President Kais Saied not to take a leaf out of ex- autocratic Ben Ali’s book, noting that the incumbent Tunisian leader has a disdain for democratic institutions and disregard for the economy. “In August, I warned that Saied seemed to be following in Ben Ali’s […]
US military command for Africa AFRICOM said Thursday it conducted several strikes against the Islamic State (IS) fighters near the city of Sirte following last week Friday sorties. The new airstrikes according to the command took place Tuesday with the coordination of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). The Tuesday airstrike destroyed IS positions, […]
US African command AFRICOM announced it killed 17 Islamic State group (IS) fighters in six air strikes on terrorist training camps of the group located near its former stronghold of Sirte. The AFRICOM command said in statement that the operation took place on Friday and targeted a training camp in the desert, 240 kilometers south-east […]
Egyptian President Sisi and President Donald Trump discussed on Monday the fight against terrorism and extremism. The phone talk between the two Heads of State was positive according to Sisi’s spokesman Alaa Youssef. He said President Trump appreciates Cairo’s “war on terror” and gave assurances of his administration’s desire to support Egypt’s efforts. Washington restricted […]
US airpower has carried sorties in Libya near Sirte killing close to 100 militants of the Islamic State group (IS), American defense officials announced. Up to 108 bombs dropped by two B-2 Stealth bombers killed Wednesday around 100 militants of IS at some training camps of the group situated 30 miles from Sirte; the last […]
Enhanced security measures were taken by Moroccan security services under the direct supervision of Abdellatif Hammouchi, head of Morocco’s domestic intelligence agency (DGST), in Marrakech in prevision of the Climate Summit COP22, said Morocco’s daily, Al Ahdath. The Moroccan police (DGSN) prepared 10,000 of its members to ensure the security of the climate summit, according […]
US senators called on President Barack Obama on Friday to impose sanctions on officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo responsible for violence and rights violations amid rising political tensions. A simmering political crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo that the US and its allies have been unable to defuse, is stoking fears in […]
The Libyan UN-backed unity government is steadily asserting itself as the sole central administration of the war-torn country as it announced Monday it took control of the foreign ministry in Tripoli once in the hands of rival and staunch opposed Islamist administration. The takeover of the foreign ministry adds up to six other ministries already […]
US President Barack Obama Friday dismissed claims that the international community was planning to send ground troops to Libya to shore up the unity government and help fight IS. Speaking at a joint press conference with David Cameron in London, Obama said sending ground troops will be a wrong signal to the unity government. “There’s […]