Libyan Amazigh Threaten Dbeibeh with War, Taking Control of Ras Ajdir

A former meeting between the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and Abdulhamid Dbeibeh (Libyan Presidential Council)
A former meeting between the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and Abdulhamid Dbeibeh (Libyan Presidential Council)
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Libyan Amazigh Threaten Dbeibeh with War, Taking Control of Ras Ajdir

A former meeting between the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and Abdulhamid Dbeibeh (Libyan Presidential Council)
A former meeting between the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and Abdulhamid Dbeibeh (Libyan Presidential Council)

No military vehicles to the forces loyal to the interim unity Libyan government are allowed to move to the west of the country, the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, has announced.

Menfi sought on Saturday to contain sudden military tensions in the country after the Libyan Amazigh Supreme Council accused the unity government chaired by Abdulhamid Dbeibeh of "gathering armed formations to attack Ras Ajdir” border crossing with Tunisia.

Menfi, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Libyan Army, demanded the military units affiliated with Dbeibeh "not to move towards the West," ordering all militants who left Tripoli to return to their headquarters.

In the letter leaked to local media, he required unit commanders to follow orders and implement them as soon as possible, calling on the Army Chief of Staff and the Military Intelligence Department to take legal action against any violating unit.

Earlier, tensions arose between Dbeibeh and the Amazigh Council president, al-Hadi Barqiq, after the latter called on the unity government to "immediately dissolve and withdraw the joint operations room."

Barqiq called on all parties to demonstrate a patriotic spirit, warning against "any military action that would drag the region into unpredicted actions."

He also warned against reaching "a point of no return," describing the situation as an "existential conflict," especially since the constitution does not guarantee the rights of the Amazigh, who were not well represented.

The statement of the Libyan Amazigh Supreme Council, which named Dbeibeh as the head of the outgoing caretaker government, cautioned anyone against attacking Zuwara or its affiliated cities.

It warned that any military development could lead to a fierce war that would end the Amazigh's presence.

It indicated that the Amazigh are living in a state of security instability in light of the collapse of the Libyan economy, adding that they were surprised by Dbeibeh's attempt to gather armed formations to attack Ras Ajdir under false and malicious, baseless pretexts.

On Friday, the Amazigh civil and military components declared a state of emergency and maximum mobilization among all military battalions, positioning them along the Zuwara area.

According to the Amazigh Channel, the first military convoy of the Nalut Military Council entered Ras Ajdir, and other forces will be stationed inside Zuwara.

Local reports monitored a sudden disruption of the traffic system at the Ras Ajdir crossing on the Libyan side.

Dbeibeh ignored these developments while attending the North African International Conference for Ports and Free Zones in Misurata.

He stressed that port development and infrastructure development are one of the government's priorities.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior of the unity government began its "official control and monitoring over the Libyan border with Tunisia," announced Minister Imad Trabelsi.

Trabelsi warned that any illegal immigrant would be returned to his country, asserting that any migrant entering Libya and benefitting from its resources must arrive legally. He said that Dbeibeh advised him to refuse resettlement.

During his visit on Friday evening to the headquarters of the Anti-Illegal Migration Agency, Trabelsi confirmed that the agency's employees have significant responsibilities to limit illegal immigration, which caused huge debts due to the provision of shelter and deportation of those arrested.

Libya is set to host a two-conference on legal migration, entitled "Safe Mediterranean, Stable South," which will take place on Nov. 27 in Tripoli, with the participation of labor ministers from the Sahel and Sahara countries.



Israel’s Zamir: Lebanon is the Main Combat Arena

First responders gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the village of Habbouch, southern Lebanon on April 10, 2026. (Photo by Abbas FAKIH / AFP)
First responders gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the village of Habbouch, southern Lebanon on April 10, 2026. (Photo by Abbas FAKIH / AFP)
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Israel’s Zamir: Lebanon is the Main Combat Arena

First responders gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the village of Habbouch, southern Lebanon on April 10, 2026. (Photo by Abbas FAKIH / AFP)
First responders gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the village of Habbouch, southern Lebanon on April 10, 2026. (Photo by Abbas FAKIH / AFP)

The head of Israel’s military, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, has said that the “main combat arena is in Lebanon.”

The mission is to keep weakening Hezbollah, Zamir said.

He was speaking on Thursday to Israeli troops inside Lebanon, on the outskirts of the town of Bint Jbeil.

“Our main combat arena is here in Lebanon,” he stated.

Zamir said the army’s mission is to “continue deepening the damage and to continue weakening Hezbollah.”

He added that the objective is to remove the direct threat to residents of northern Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered a potential boost to ceasefire efforts in the region when saying he had approved direct talks with Lebanon.

The announcement came after Israel’s pounding of Beirut Wednesday killed more than 300 people. The negotiations are expected next week in Washington.


Macron Meets Pope Leo to Talk Lebanon, Middle East War

 French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are welcomed as they arrive at the San Damaso courtyard to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are welcomed as they arrive at the San Damaso courtyard to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)
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Macron Meets Pope Leo to Talk Lebanon, Middle East War

 French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are welcomed as they arrive at the San Damaso courtyard to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are welcomed as they arrive at the San Damaso courtyard to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived Friday at the Vatican for his first meeting with Pope Leo XIV, a private audience expected to be dominated by the Iran war.

The French leader, who arrived with his wife Brigitte after flying to Rome on Thursday, will meet the US pontiff and the Vatican's secretary of state, Pietro Parolin.

Macron and the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics were due above all to discuss "the resolution of the crisis in the Middle East", a spokesman for Macron's office told reporters.

They are particularly focused on Lebanon, where deadly Israeli strikes threatened this week's temporary truce between the US and Iran.

Leo XIV visited Lebanon late last year as part of his first trip abroad, which also included Türkiye, and has repeatedly prayed for the victims of conflict there.

Macron has also made numerous appeals for Lebanon to be included in the ceasefire.

He discussed the conflict on Thursday evening with representatives of the Catholic community of Sant'Egidio, an informal diplomatic channel of the Holy See that is very active on Middle Eastern and humanitarian issues.

"Macron is a man of peace," and "can do a lot" to "support" the Lebanese authorities, the community's founder, Andrea Riccardi, told reporters, adding that Lebanon "must not be left alone".

In recent days, both Macron and the Chicago-born pontiff have spoken out against US President Donald Trump over the war, which began with Israel-US attacks on Iran.

Leo condemned as "unacceptable" threats to civilian targets -- while not citing Trump by name -- while Macron said there was "too much talk, and it's all over the place".

Both welcomed the truce and have urged a diplomatic solution to the war, which has expanded across the Middle East and roiled the global economy.

The US government on Thursday denied a report that the Vatican's US envoy was summoned in January for a "bitter" dressing down over a speech by the pope condemning "diplomacy based on force", in remarks widely viewed as aimed at the Trump administration.

Macron is expected to invite Leo, a more reserved character than his predecessor, to visit France soon.

Friday's meeting at the Vatican comes three days before the pope's visit to the former French colony of Algeria, the first ever by a pontiff.


World Food Program Warns Lebanon Facing Food Security Crisis Due to Iran War

Volunteers carry World Food Program (WFP) boxes of aid supplies in a school-turned-shelter in Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Volunteers carry World Food Program (WFP) boxes of aid supplies in a school-turned-shelter in Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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World Food Program Warns Lebanon Facing Food Security Crisis Due to Iran War

Volunteers carry World Food Program (WFP) boxes of aid supplies in a school-turned-shelter in Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Volunteers carry World Food Program (WFP) boxes of aid supplies in a school-turned-shelter in Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanon is facing a food security crisis as the Iran war disrupts supplies of goods inside the country, the United Nations World Food Program said on Friday. 

A fragile two-day-old ceasefire has halted the campaign of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, but it has not so far calmed a parallel war waged by Israel against Iran's Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. 

"What we're witnessing is not just a displacement crisis, it is rapidly becoming a ‌food security ‌crisis," said World Food Program country director Allison ‌Oman, ⁠speaking via video ⁠link from Beirut. 

She warned that food was becoming increasingly unaffordable due to rising prices and demand among displaced families. 

PRICE OF VEGETABLES HAS SOARD 

The price of vegetables has soared by more than 20% and bread prices have increased by 17% since March 2, the WFP said. 

"What we're now seeing is ⁠a very worrying combination: prices are rising, incomes ‌are disrupted and demand is increasing ‌as displacement continues for many families," Oman stated. 

Lebanon faces a two-layered ‌crisis, in which some markets have fully collapsed - especially in ‌the south, where more than 80% of markets are no longer functioning - while those in Beirut are under increasing strain, Oman said. 

Many traders in conflict-affected areas in southern parts of Lebanon are reporting ‌less than one week of essential food stocks remaining, she added. 

The ability to deliver food ⁠aid into ⁠hard-to-reach areas in the south, which has faced heavy bombardment by Israeli airstrikes since March 2, was becoming increasingly difficult. 

While the Qasmiyeh bridge, which was previously struck, is now operational, movement remains difficult. Ten WFP convoys have reached the south to provide aid to some of the estimate 50,000 to 150,000 in need of humanitarian support in that part of the country. 

"This escalation is pushing vulnerable communities even closer to the edge," said Oman, adding that, due to this latest escalation, about 900,000 people across Lebanon were facing food insecurity - a number that was set to rise.