Algeria to Open Two Border Crossings with Mauritania Soon

Algerian Interior Minister Brahim Merad inspects works at one of the two crossings with Mauritania (Interior Ministry)
Algerian Interior Minister Brahim Merad inspects works at one of the two crossings with Mauritania (Interior Ministry)
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Algeria to Open Two Border Crossings with Mauritania Soon

Algerian Interior Minister Brahim Merad inspects works at one of the two crossings with Mauritania (Interior Ministry)
Algerian Interior Minister Brahim Merad inspects works at one of the two crossings with Mauritania (Interior Ministry)

Algerian Interior Minister Brahim Merad said on Saturday that the two fixed joint border crossings with Mauritania will open “soon.”

The two countries had previously announced that the border crossings would start operating in October 2023.

At the end of his visit to Tindouf, Merad said on Saturday that the progress of works at the two Algerian-Mauritanian border crossings has exceeded 99%, and therefore will be soon delivered.

He said the two crossings are highly necessary for trade exchanges between Algeria and Mauritania.

The Algerian government has a plan to develop trade with countries that share borders with Algeria, especially Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania.



Indonesian UN Peacekeeper Killed, Some Injured in Southern Lebanon

United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a Lebanese army outpost in the area of Naqura in southern Lebanon on March 27, 2026. (Photo by KAWNAT HAJU / AFP)
United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a Lebanese army outpost in the area of Naqura in southern Lebanon on March 27, 2026. (Photo by KAWNAT HAJU / AFP)
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Indonesian UN Peacekeeper Killed, Some Injured in Southern Lebanon

United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a Lebanese army outpost in the area of Naqura in southern Lebanon on March 27, 2026. (Photo by KAWNAT HAJU / AFP)
United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a Lebanese army outpost in the area of Naqura in southern Lebanon on March 27, 2026. (Photo by KAWNAT HAJU / AFP)

The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said a peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exploded at one of its positions near the southern Lebanese village of Adchit al-Qusayr on Sunday.

Another peacekeeper was critically injured, it said in a statement early on Monday.

Indonesia's foreign ministry said on Monday the deceased peacekeeper was one of its citizens and that three others were injured by indirect artillery fire in the vicinity of the Indonesian UNIFIL contingent's position near Adchit al-Qusayr.

"We do not know the origin ‌of the ‌projectile. We have launched an investigation to determine ‌all ⁠of the circumstances," UNIFIL ⁠said.

UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel - an area that is at the heart of clashes between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

The mission, which will be halted at the end of 2026, has been sporadically caught in the crosshairs of both Israel ⁠and Hezbollah over the last couple of years.

On March ‌6, Ghana's armed forces said ‌the headquarters of its UN peacekeeping battalion in Lebanon was hit ‌by missile attacks, leaving two soldiers critically injured.

Israel's military later ‌acknowledged that its tank fire had hit a UN position in southern Lebanon that day, wounding the Ghanaian peacekeepers.

The military said its troops had responded to anti-tank missile fire from Hezbollah, which had moderately wounded ‌two of its soldiers.

"Once again, we call on all actors to uphold their obligations under international ⁠law and ⁠to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times, including by refraining from actions that may put peacekeepers in danger," UNIFIL said.

Indonesia condemned the incident and said any harm to peacekeepers is unacceptable, while reiterating its condemnation "of Israel's attacks in Southern Lebanon."

Lebanon was pulled into the war in the Middle East when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2 in solidarity with Tehran, two days after Iran was attacked by Israel and the United States. Hezbollah's attack prompted a new Israeli offensive against the group.


Report: Iran’s Ambassador Won’t Leave Lebanon Despite Expulsion

Iranian Ambassador to Syria Mohammad Reza Sheibani, shows his ink-stained finger as he votes in the first round of the Iranian presidential election on June 14, 2013 at the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus. (AFP)
Iranian Ambassador to Syria Mohammad Reza Sheibani, shows his ink-stained finger as he votes in the first round of the Iranian presidential election on June 14, 2013 at the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus. (AFP)
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Report: Iran’s Ambassador Won’t Leave Lebanon Despite Expulsion

Iranian Ambassador to Syria Mohammad Reza Sheibani, shows his ink-stained finger as he votes in the first round of the Iranian presidential election on June 14, 2013 at the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus. (AFP)
Iranian Ambassador to Syria Mohammad Reza Sheibani, shows his ink-stained finger as he votes in the first round of the Iranian presidential election on June 14, 2013 at the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, Damascus. (AFP)

Iran's ambassador will not leave Lebanon despite being declared persona non grata and ordered to leave the country by Sunday, an Iranian diplomatic source told AFP.

"The ambassador will not leave Lebanon, in accordance with the wishes of the speaker of parliament Nabih Berri and of Hezbollah," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Hezbollah has denounced the decision while Berri's Amal party joined Hezbollah ministers in boycotting a cabinet session this week in protest at the order to expel Mohammad Reza Sheibani.

The foreign ministry this week gave Tehran's envoy until Sunday to leave in the latest unprecedented step by Lebanese authorities since a new war erupted on March 2 between Israel and Hezbollah.

The ministry accused him of making statements "interfering in Lebanon's internal politics".

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called the expulsion "a courageous decision".

The Lebanese authorities have banned Hezbollah's military and security activities. It is the only armed non-state group in the country and a close ally of Iran.

It has also banned the presence and operations of Iran's Revolutionary Guards whom Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused of directing Hezbollah operations against Israel.


Netanyahu Says Israel Will Widen Its Invasion of Southern Lebanon

Israeli army soldiers walk next to a self-propelled Howitzer artillery gun positioned in the upper Galilee in northern Israel near the border with southern Lebanon on March 29, 2026. (AFP)
Israeli army soldiers walk next to a self-propelled Howitzer artillery gun positioned in the upper Galilee in northern Israel near the border with southern Lebanon on March 29, 2026. (AFP)
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Netanyahu Says Israel Will Widen Its Invasion of Southern Lebanon

Israeli army soldiers walk next to a self-propelled Howitzer artillery gun positioned in the upper Galilee in northern Israel near the border with southern Lebanon on March 29, 2026. (AFP)
Israeli army soldiers walk next to a self-propelled Howitzer artillery gun positioned in the upper Galilee in northern Israel near the border with southern Lebanon on March 29, 2026. (AFP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that Israel will widen its invasion of southern Lebanon.

Netanyahu said Israel would expand what he called the “existing security strip” in Lebanon as Israeli forces continue to target the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group.

“We are determined to fundamentally change the situation in the north,” he said on a visit to northern Israel.

Netanyahu said Hezbollah still retained "residual capabilities" to fire rockets at Israel, but the group had been severely hit by Israeli forces.

"Iran is no longer the same Iran, Hezbollah is no longer the same Hezbollah, and Hamas is no longer the same Hamas," he added.

"These are no longer terrorist armies threatening our existence -- they are defeated enemies, fighting for their own survival."

"We are determined, we are fighting, and with God's help -- we are winning," Netanyahu said.

There were no immediate details.

In Lebanon, officials say more than 1,100 people have been killed and more than one million displaced since the Iran war began.