US Pushes for Withdrawal of Foreign Forces from Libya before Elections

Turkish forces search for mines and explosives on the outskirts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli (Getty Images)
Turkish forces search for mines and explosives on the outskirts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli (Getty Images)
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US Pushes for Withdrawal of Foreign Forces from Libya before Elections

Turkish forces search for mines and explosives on the outskirts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli (Getty Images)
Turkish forces search for mines and explosives on the outskirts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli (Getty Images)

The US has renewed its call on the withdrawal of foreign forces from Libya before the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December 24.

Reports indicated that Turkey and Russia began negotiating in Moscow on an agreement for a simultaneous withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libyan territories.

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told the US Senate that Washington hopes to reach an agreement to withdraw mercenaries from Libya before the election date.

Nuland also said that Turkey and Russia want to withdraw mercenaries from Libya simultaneously, stressing that Washington is working with the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Jan Kubis, for this purpose.

Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar dispatched the head of his General Commander's Office, Khairi al-Tamimi, to Moscow, on a surprise visit to discuss the joint coordination on the sidelines of meetings between Russian and Turkish officials.

Meanwhile, the Libyan unity government, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, intends to hold its first meeting in the southern city of Sabha next week.

Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Adel Jumaa announced that the government’s fifth regular meeting would be held in Sabha to identify the difficulties and challenges in the city.

Jumaa acknowledged the difficulties but asserted that the government is determined to find solutions to the city’s problems.



Gold Mine Collapse Kills 11 Workers in Sudan

The wreckage of cars lie on the remains of the Shambat Bridge, which connects Omdurman and Bahri, on June 24, 2025 in the Sudanese capital region. (AFP)
The wreckage of cars lie on the remains of the Shambat Bridge, which connects Omdurman and Bahri, on June 24, 2025 in the Sudanese capital region. (AFP)
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Gold Mine Collapse Kills 11 Workers in Sudan

The wreckage of cars lie on the remains of the Shambat Bridge, which connects Omdurman and Bahri, on June 24, 2025 in the Sudanese capital region. (AFP)
The wreckage of cars lie on the remains of the Shambat Bridge, which connects Omdurman and Bahri, on June 24, 2025 in the Sudanese capital region. (AFP)

A gold mine partly collapsed in eastern Sudan, killing 11 miners, the state-run company in charge of the project said Sunday.

The collapse of the Kersh al-Feel mine happened over the weekend in the desert town of Houeid in the eastern Nile River province, the Sudanese Mineral Resources Limited Company said in a statement. Another seven workers were injured and transferred to a hospital, it said.

The company said it had stopped excavation and reiterated its warning to informal miners against working at the site.

Sudan is a major gold producer but mine collapses are common due to poor safety standards.

Similar incidents in recent years include a 2023 collapse that killed 14 miners and another in 2021 that claimed 38 lives.