Groundwater Upsurge Floods Homes in Libyan Coastal Townhttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/4855411-groundwater-upsurge-floods-homes-libyan-coastal-town
Groundwater Upsurge Floods Homes in Libyan Coastal Town
Many locals have fled their homes, where walls have cracked or collapsed, amid fears of a worsening environmental crisis - AFP
Stagnant water and squishy mud have flooded houses, streets and palm groves around the Libyan northwestern town of Zliten, spreading a foul smell and creating breeding grounds for mosquitos.
Many locals have fled their homes, where walls have cracked or collapsed, amid fears of a worsening environmental crisis in the area about 160 kilometres (100 miles) east of the capital Tripoli.
"Water began coming out two months ago and still continues to rise and submerge our wells," Mohamad Ali Dioub, owner of a farm some four kilometres from Zliten, told AFP. "All my fruit trees -- apple, apricot and pomegranate trees - are dead."
The 60-year-old said he had rented water trucks to pump out the stagnant water and bought loads of sand to dump onto the soggy ground, in an effort to save some of his valuable date palms.
The area's usually sandy and light earth has become "muddy, black, and smells bad," said another farmer, Mohamad al-Nouari, whose land has been completely swamped.
Almost 50 families have been relocated, said Moftah Hamadi, the mayor of Zliten, a town of 350,000 people known for its Sufi shrines, al-Asmariya University and palm and olive groves.
Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah vowed this month to "remediate this crisis in a scientific and rapid manner" and urged authorities to compensate or relocate displaced families.
But there is no consensus yet on what has caused the flooding.
Catastrophic floods ravaged Libya's eastern city of Derna in September when two dams collapsed. The gigantic flood surge killed more than 4,300 people and left over 8,000 missing, according to the UN.
Locals in Zliten say the groundwater flooding is not new, and point to reed-covered areas from years-old inundations. But they also say the phenomenon has now hit them on a previously unknown scale.
Media reports have pointed to a variety of possible causes, from poor drainage infrastructure to damaged pipelines and heavy winter rains.
Foreign specialists, including from Britain, Egypt and Greece, have travelled to Zliten, hoping to identify the origin of the problem and find solutions.
Elsewhere in the world, rising sea levels have been linked to coastal groundwater upsurges as dense salt water can seep deep into the ground and push up the lighter freshwater.
Disarmament Stalemate Casts Shadow Over Iraqi Government, Coordination Framework
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi (Reuters)
Iraq’s ruling coalition has been forced to abandon plans to create deputy prime minister posts amid disputes over bringing weapons under state control, while sources say political factions are moving to recalculate their shares of the remaining vacant ministries.
Since parliament has approved Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government on May 15, 2026, giving the green light to 14 out of 23 ministers, political disputes have prevented appointments to nine portfolios, most notably the interior and defense ministries.
A more complicated dispute involved attempts by forces within the Coordination Framework to create four deputy prime minister posts. Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq was among the leading proponents, with its leader, Qais al-Khazali, putting forward his brother Laith al-Khazali for one of the positions.
Reliable sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq had sought the post after formally agreeing to the plan to bring weapons under state control, but US objections blocked the appointment.
The sources described a “test of strength” between al-Zaidi and Coordination Framework forces because of the overlap between completing the Cabinet and the weapons issue. Scrapping the deputy prime minister posts, they said, opens the door to bargaining and forces all sides to recalculate the points assigned to ministries.
Observers believe efforts to complete the Cabinet began to falter as some political forces backed away from the weapons plan.
Al-Zaidi had made bringing arms under state control a key pillar of his government program. Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq and other factions later joined the proposed settlement in hopes of easing international pressure.
Sources said the Coordination Framework’s latest meeting exposed sharp divisions between leaders opposed to creating deputy PM posts and others insisting on them, preventing the coalition from issuing a statement afterward.
Al-Zaidi has held a series of meetings with Coordination Framework leaders in recent days in an effort to reach agreement on completing his Cabinet, particularly after his government marked its first 100 days.
Figures close to the prime minister’s office said he urged ruling coalition leaders to continue supporting the government in resolving outstanding issues, including bringing weapons under state control, combating corruption and filling Cabinet vacancies, regardless of disputes over deputy prime minister posts.
Under Iraq’s informal power-sharing system, ministries are distributed among election-winning political forces according to points based on each party’s number of parliamentary seats.
Legal and legislative affairs researcher Saif al-Saadi told Asharq Al-Awsat that scrapping the deputy PM posts would increase the value of the remaining portfolios, with sovereign ministries potentially worth 15 to 20 points and service ministries 10 to 12.
Al-Saadi expected two or three ministries to be filled, while the rest could remain under acting ministers because of domestic and external factors. He said the United States opposes militia-linked figures taking senior government posts, while competition among Shiite political forces is delaying agreement on candidates for the vacant portfolios.
Washington Supports Deeper Security, Economic Cooperation with Algeriahttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5316658-washington-supports-deeper-security-economic-cooperation-algeria
Washington Supports Deeper Security, Economic Cooperation with Algeria
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune (Photo: The Presidency)
Senior Adviser to the US President for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos has stressed that Washington “supports deeper security cooperation” with Algeria.
In a statement published by the US embassy in Algiers on its Facebook page, Boulos said he held a “productive call” with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune “to discuss the US-Algeria partnership.”
“The United States supports deeper security cooperation and expanding economic opportunities for US companies in Algeria, with our growing energy partnership paving the way for shared prosperity,” said Boulos.
He said he also expressed his condolences to the communities affected by Algeria’s recent wildfires.
Boulos held a productive meeting last April with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, aimed at deepening the trade and security partnership between the two countries.
They welcomed the progress achieved in discussions concerning Algeria’s unconventional gas resources and reviewed opportunities for American companies to support the country’s critical minerals sector.
The two parties also discussed ways to expand cooperation in counterterrorism and military collaboration as part of their shared goal of strengthening regional security. In addition, they addressed regional issues of mutual interest, particularly various conflicts and humanitarian crises.
Abyan Governor to Asharq Al-Awsat: Forces Ready for ‘Zero Hour’ Against Houthishttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5316650-abyan-governor-asharq-al-awsat-forces-ready-%E2%80%98zero-hour%E2%80%99-against-houthis
Abyan Governor to Asharq Al-Awsat: Forces Ready for ‘Zero Hour’ Against Houthis
Al-Rabash said security and development were top priorities. Photo: Turky Alagili
Maj. Gen. Mukhtar al-Rabash al-Haythami, governor of Abyan and commander of the province’s military axis, said his forces were ready for the “zero hour” to launch an offensive against the Houthis in Yemen.
He disclosed plans and operations being coordinated with other military commands and fronts, as well as the reinforcement of the roughly 76-km (47-mile) front line between Abyan and al-Bayda with advanced weapons.
“The Abyan Military Axis is ready, both commanders and personnel, and is awaiting the zero hour,” al-Rabash told Asharq Al-Awsat in an interview.
He said the troops’ morale was “higher than ever” and that preparations were proceeding under a “carefully devised plan” in coordination with the Saudi-led coalition, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and the Defense Ministry.
The Abyan governor said recent battlefield developments had demonstrated the government forces’ “fighting spirit and high morale,” adding that military commanders were united by the goal of “liberating Sanaa and Yemen from the Houthi militia and ending the Iranian project.”
Al-Rabash described cooperation with Saudi Arabia as a key pillar of plans to rehabilitate the province. He said a three-day workshop with the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen had identified eight priority sectors and approved 24 public-service projects.
76-km front line with the Houthis
Abyan’s fronts are spread across several military commands, al-Rabash said. The front line with the Houthis extends for about 76 km along the border with al-Bayda province and sees frequent clashes.
The governor said plans to reinforce the fronts included raising combat readiness, providing them with advanced weapons, and mobilizing local communities and tribes to support government forces.
Al-Rabash said the prospects of a decisive outcome had improved after the Houthis were “given opportunity after opportunity to pursue peace.”
Instead of taking advantage of those opportunities, he said, the group had continued to escalate domestically and threaten international shipping.
Houthi cells and assassination attempts
On security, al-Rabash said Houthi cells had been uncovered in the province, adding that security forces had arrested between 120 and 150 operatives over the past several years.
He said the latest Houthi cell to be uncovered consisted of two operatives who were arrested and four others who escaped.
According to al-Rabash, those detained confessed to preparing four explosive devices to target him personally, as well as plotting to attack Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Damani, commander of the Nation’s Shield Forces in Abyan.
The governor said there was “collusion and coordination” between the Houthis and terrorist organizations. He added that local government officials and security and military commanders had been targeted in attempted attacks, while several security commanders had been killed in confrontations with those groups.
Al-Rabash said Abyan had paid a heavy price through a succession of conflicts, beginning with al-Qaeda’s seizure of parts of the province in 2011, followed by the Houthi advance in 2015 and the 2019 conflict between the internationally recognized government and Southern Transitional Council forces.
The fighting caused extensive damage to infrastructure, the social fabric and the local economy, he said.
Al-Qaeda’s presence in Abyan
Asked about al-Qaeda’s current presence, al-Rabash said the number of ideologically committed members of the organization had become “very small,” according to estimates by the relevant security agencies.
The threat remained, however, through clandestine cells and the recruitment of some misled young people by exploiting poverty and ignorance, he said.
Al-Rabash said some operatives came from other provinces, while others arrived “by sea from certain countries.” Abyan’s coastline, which stretches for more than 300 km (186 miles), poses a security challenge and requires significant surveillance capabilities, he added.
He stressed that security and military measures alone were insufficient and that combating extremism required a parallel approach encompassing education, public awareness, development and job creation, as well as the involvement of tribes and local communities.
“When citizens feel the state’s presence through schools, public services and job opportunities, they become less receptive to ideas that bring nothing but death and bloodshed,” he said.
24 Saudi-backed projects
On development, al-Rabash described cooperation with Saudi Arabia as a key pillar of plans to rehabilitate the province. He said a three-day workshop with the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen had identified eight priority sectors and approved 24 public-service projects.
The governor stated the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen approved 24 projects in Abyan (Local Authority)
The projects cover electricity, water, healthcare, education and roads, alongside larger strategic projects that are being developed, he said.
The governor placed the strategic Wadi Hassan dam at the top of Abyan’s priority projects, saying it would help replenish groundwater and the wells that supply Aden with water. The dam was also expected to help revive the agricultural sector.
Al-Rabash said Wadi Hassan had historically contributed to Abyan’s agricultural standing, which earned the province its reputation as “Yemen’s breadbasket.” Investment in modern agricultural technologies could restore that role and expand the province’s productive capacity, he added.
He praised Saudi support for Abyan and Yemen more broadly, particularly in hospitals, schools, electricity and roads, saying the projects “directly affect people’s lives.”
“We extend our thanks and appreciation to our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — its king, crown prince, government and people — for their countless efforts across various fields,” al-Rabash said.
He said Saudi support included “building hospitals and schools, rehabilitating roads, supporting the electricity sector and everything that helps improve the lives of the Yemeni people.”
The governor contrasted Saudi Arabia’s role with that of the Houthis.
“Our brothers in Saudi Arabia build hospitals, schools and roads, while the Houthis come with missiles to destroy them,” he said. “They kill and destroy but do not build, and their attacks have struck mosques, schools and hospitals.”
“Our Saudi neighbor and brother, with whom we share ties of blood, religion, tribe and geography, comes to help build and improve people’s lives,” he added. “That is the difference evident to anyone with insight.”
Al-Rabash said security and development were inseparable tracks, prompting the local authorities to adopt the slogan: “Abyan First — Authority Upheld, Development Built.” Photo: Turky Alagili
‘Abyan First’
Al-Rabash said security and development were inseparable tracks, prompting the local authorities to adopt the slogan: “Abyan First — Authority Upheld, Development Built.”
He said priorities were focused on five main sectors — electricity, water, healthcare, education and roads — alongside efforts to consolidate security, combat terrorism and crime, and raise combat readiness along the fronts.
The local authorities had also expanded outreach to tribes, religious scholars, journalists, young people, women, and social and sporting groups to build a community partnership, he said. The public’s response was among the most important factors in the success of the new phase.
Al-Rabash concluded with a message urging Abyan’s residents to “stand together and work as one,” saying the province’s stability and reconstruction “cannot be achieved without a genuine partnership between the community and the local authorities.”
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