First Independent Mena Newspaper
France on Monday made an announcement refusing Niger’s appeal, last week, for western military action against Islamist fighters who have established bases in Southern Libya since the 2011 overthrow of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Niger’s call for help is a desperate one as Islamist attacks and kidnappings on its mineral-rich soil have posed a threat to […]
Libya’s deputy industry minister, Hassan al-Droui, was killed by unknown gunmen as he drove home from a shopping trip during a visit to his hometown of Sirte, east of the capital Tripoli. The government blamed the attack, which occurred during on late Saturday (11 January), on hard-line Islamist militants. It is the first assassination of […]
The killing of three French journalists in northern Malian region of Kidal in early November 2013 is indicative of the ability of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) to conduct terrorist attacks in the region despite French military presence. Similarly, the announcement of the creation of a new terrorist group called Al Mourabitoun out of […]
The EU’s defense ministers are to discuss next week the call for the Union to consider equipping African armies. This highly controversial idea that was put forward by a group of countries led by Germany is likely to trigger a sharp debate within and between the EU’s institutions. Proponents of the idea argue that the […]
Mauritania has set it conditions and role in UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz told a gathering in his “meet the public” tour that “we have set our conditions” and our participation will depend on their acceptance. Mauritania wants to limit its activities along its border with Mali. […]
Libya has finally reacted to the accusations made by Niger following the attack on an army base and a uranium mine in Niger by Islamist insurgents. The attack, which took place last week Thursday, left 24 soldiers and a civilian dead and damaged machinery at an Areva mine. Prime Minister Ali Zeidan who is on […]
At least some 37 foreign workers, who were taken lately hostage by Islamist militants linked to Al Qaeda at a gas plant in Southern Algerian city of In Amenas, were killed during a military operation launched by the Algerian Special Forces to release the captives and retake to the gasfield compound. The identified slain hostages […]
The newly formed Libyan government has ordered the temporary closure of the country’s borders with four of its neighbors and declared the southern region a restricted military zone. The land borders with Chad, Niger, Sudan and Algeria were shut in a bid to better control and fight “illegal immigration and illicit activities such as arms […]