Egypt, Tunisia Assert Support to Libyan People

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt, Tunisia Assert Support to Libyan People

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi received Tunisian President Kais Saied at al-Ittihadiya Palace where the two discussed bilateral ties as well as the political situation in Libya.

Presidency spokesman Ambassador Bassam Rady said that the two presidents discussed the latest developments in Libya and stressed the need to intensify joint coordination, especialy that Egypt and Tunisia are two neighboring countries that share borders with Libya.

The two presidents also welcomed the formation of the new Libyan executive authority and affirmed their keenness to support the brotherly Libyan people and consolidate peace and stability.

In a joint press conference, Sisi said the talks asserted the need to activate the Arab role in the Libyan crisis.

He confirmed readiness to provide all forms of support to the new authority, enabling it to perform its role in managing the transitional phase and holding elections at the end of the year.

Sisi also clarified that he discussed with Saeed the necessity of ending foreign interference in Libya, calling for the departure of all foreign forces, mercenaries, and terrorists.

Speaking at the press conference, Saied stressed Tunisia's keenness to activate cooperation frameworks and mechanisms of consultation and coordination with Egypt at all levels, pertaining to bilateral or regional and international issues of common interest.

Saied said that “Egypt's national security is our security, and Egypt's position in any international forum will be our position,” asserting his support to achieving stability and security in Libya.

Meanwhile, the head of Libya's Presidential Council Mohammed al-Menfi asserted that his country will continue to protect its mutual interests with Turkey.

Menfi said a high-level government delegation will head to Turkey on Sunday for a two-day official visit to discuss bilateral agreements and to boost cooperation in various fields.

Menfi was speaking after receiving the letter of credentials from the newly appointed Turkish ambassador to Libya, Kenan Yilmaz, who affirmed his country's continued support for the council and the government.

For his part, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah asserted that his foreign visits aim to prevent war, calling for solidarity to achieve stability in Libya.



Two Million Syrians Returned Home Since Assad's Fall, Says UN

Syrian migrants wait at the Cilvegozu border gate to cross into Syria, after Syrian rebels announced that they ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Turkish town of Reyhanli in Hatay province, Türkiye, - Reuters
Syrian migrants wait at the Cilvegozu border gate to cross into Syria, after Syrian rebels announced that they ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Turkish town of Reyhanli in Hatay province, Türkiye, - Reuters
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Two Million Syrians Returned Home Since Assad's Fall, Says UN

Syrian migrants wait at the Cilvegozu border gate to cross into Syria, after Syrian rebels announced that they ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Turkish town of Reyhanli in Hatay province, Türkiye, - Reuters
Syrian migrants wait at the Cilvegozu border gate to cross into Syria, after Syrian rebels announced that they ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Turkish town of Reyhanli in Hatay province, Türkiye, - Reuters

Over two million Syrians who had fled their homes during their country's war have returned since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, UN refugee agency chief Filippo Grandi said Thursday, ahead of a visit to Syria.

The Syrian civil war, which erupted in 2011 with Assad's brutal repression of anti-government protests, displaced half of the population internally or abroad.

But Assad's December 8 ouster at the hands of Islamist forces sparked hopes of return.

"Over two million Syrian refugees and displaced have returned home since December," Grandi wrote on X during a visit to neighboring Lebanon, which hosts about 1.5 million Syrian refugees, according to official estimates, AFP reported.

It is "a sign of hope amid rising regional tensions," he said.

"This proves that we need political solutions -- not another wave of instability and displacement."

After 14 years of war, many returnees face the reality of finding their homes and property badly damaged or destroyed.

But with the recent lifting of Western sanctions on Syria, new authorities hope for international support to launch reconstruction, which the UN estimates could cost more than $400 billion.

Earlier this month, UNHCR estimated that up to 1.5 million Syrians from abroad and two million internally displaced persons may return by the end of 2025.