Libya: Water Outage in Tripoli

A man fills bottles and a bucket with water in Tripoli, Libya (Reuters)
A man fills bottles and a bucket with water in Tripoli, Libya (Reuters)
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Libya: Water Outage in Tripoli

A man fills bottles and a bucket with water in Tripoli, Libya (Reuters)
A man fills bottles and a bucket with water in Tripoli, Libya (Reuters)

The Great Man-Made River Project Authority announced water outage in Tripoli and other cities in the western and central region after armed men assaulted its electricity station, blocking the water flow.

In a statement, the authorities said that an armed group stormed the main electricity station and obliged the technicians there to cut off the electricity supply to Hasnawa wells fields in the backdrop of demands of fair outage hours of electricity in the south as in other regions.

After negotiations with the group, the electrical current was back and work is currently ongoing to charge the electricity stations to operate wells again, added the statement. Gradual arrival of water to Tripoli is expected by Friday.

The authority demanded the security and military bodies to hold responsibility of protecting Hasnawa wells fields.

Meanwhile, the Government of National Accord, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, declared that dozens of prisoners in Mitiga prison were released. Spokesman of the Presidential Council (PC) head Mohammed Al-Sallak confirmed Wednesday the release of 83 prisoners from the prison of Mitiga in coordination with the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General.

The 7th Brigade, part of the latest clashes in Tripoli, announced that officers of its operations' chamber opened channels for communication with relevant parties in Tripoli in order to freeze all military actions.

Sarraj government revealed that a new agreement to confirm the ceasefire in Tripoli was signed between representatives of Tripoli and Tarhuna.



France Arrests New Algerian Influencer as Tensions Soar

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau leaves following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, January 22, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau leaves following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, January 22, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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France Arrests New Algerian Influencer as Tensions Soar

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau leaves following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, January 22, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau leaves following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, January 22, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

French authorities Wednesday arrested another Algerian social media influencer as tensions soar between Paris and its North African former colony, the interior minister announced.
Rafik M. had “called on Tiktok for the carrying out of violent acts on French territory,” said Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau on social media, without saying where he had been arrested.
The influencer is one of half a dozen Algerians arrested in France over the last month on accusations of calling for violence on French territory.
One of them, known as “Doualemn,” was deported to Algeria where the authorities promptly sent him back to France in a move that incensed Retailleau, AFP reported.

Tensions have surged between France and Algeria after President Emmanuel Macron renewed French support for Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara during a visit to the kingdom last year.
Algeria meanwhile has been holding French-Algerian novelist Boualem Sansal on national security charges. Sansal, who was arrested at Algiers airport in November, is a major figure in modern francophone literature.
Retailleau has repeatedly accused Algeria of “seeking to humiliate France.”

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said earlier this month France would have “no option but to retaliate” if “the Algerians continue to escalate” the row.
But Algeria has rejected France’s accusation of escalation, denouncing a “campaign of disinformation” by Paris.