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HRW: Russia’s Wagner Group Set Landmines in Libya

Libyan deminers stand around a pickup truck with boxes of dismantled mines and remnants of other explosives in Salah al-Din, south of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, June 15, 2020. AFP
Libyan deminers stand around a pickup truck with boxes of dismantled mines and remnants of other explosives in Salah al-Din, south of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, June 15, 2020. AFP
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HRW: Russia’s Wagner Group Set Landmines in Libya

Libyan deminers stand around a pickup truck with boxes of dismantled mines and remnants of other explosives in Salah al-Din, south of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, June 15, 2020. AFP
Libyan deminers stand around a pickup truck with boxes of dismantled mines and remnants of other explosives in Salah al-Din, south of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, June 15, 2020. AFP

The Wagner Group, a private Russian military security contractor, has used banned landmines and booby traps near Tripoli, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday.

“New information from Libyan agencies and demining groups links the Wagner Group to the use of banned landmines and booby traps in Libya in 2019-2020,” it said in a report.

HRW therefore called on the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, to examine the role of Libyan and foreign armed groups in laying antipersonnel mines during the conflict.

“These mines killed at least three Libyan de-miners before the mines’ locations were identified,” HRW stressed.

Lama Fakih, HRW Middle East and North Africa director, said the Wagner Group added to the deadly legacy of mines and booby traps scattered across Tripoli’s suburbs that has made it dangerous for people to return to their homes.

“A credible and transparent international inquiry is needed to ensure justice for the many civilians and deminers unlawfully killed and maimed by these weapons,” she said.

Fakih added that antipersonnel landmines, which are designed to be exploded by the presence, proximity, or contact of a person, violate international humanitarian law because they cannot discriminate between civilians and combatants.

HRW’s report said the mines and booby traps found at the 35 coordinates were hidden inside homes and other structures, in some cases inside furniture and were often activated with a tripwire that was not visible.

Mine experts also told the NGO that the mines and booby traps apparently constructed by Wagner operatives were more sophisticated and lethal than those laid by Libyan, Sudanese, or Syrian groups.

According to the Libyan Mine Action Center, LibMAC, of the 130 people killed and 196 injured in Libya between May 2020 and March 2022 by mines and other explosive ordnance, most were civilians in Tripoli’s southern suburbs.

In this regard, Fakih said, “Independent of an international inquiry, Libyan courts need to impartially investigate and appropriately prosecute commanders and fighters – including foreigners – for war crimes in Libya.”

Meanwhile, the Libyan Oil and Gas Ministry warned on Tuesday from the outcomes of closing the country’s major oil fields and ports on Libya’s economy and the infrastructure of the oil sector.

A committee formed by the ministry to investigate the closure of oil ports and fields confirmed that civilian groups are not connected to the closure process.

“A military entity is behind the shutting down of oil fields. This entity is represented by the Petroleum Facilities Guard, which took instructions from certain political parties,” it said.

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Arab World

Iraq Rejects Turkish Strikes in Kurdistan Region, Seeks Resolution 

A man waves an Iraqi national flag as protesters gather in Baghdad's Tahrir square to mark the 4th anniversary of the 2019 anti-government demonstrations on October 1, 2023. (AFP)
A man waves an Iraqi national flag as protesters gather in Baghdad's Tahrir square to mark the 4th anniversary of the 2019 anti-government demonstrations on October 1, 2023. (AFP)
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Iraq Rejects Turkish Strikes in Kurdistan Region, Seeks Resolution 

A man waves an Iraqi national flag as protesters gather in Baghdad's Tahrir square to mark the 4th anniversary of the 2019 anti-government demonstrations on October 1, 2023. (AFP)
A man waves an Iraqi national flag as protesters gather in Baghdad's Tahrir square to mark the 4th anniversary of the 2019 anti-government demonstrations on October 1, 2023. (AFP)

Iraq rejects repeated Turkish air strikes or the presence of Turkish bases in its Kurdistan region and hopes to come to an agreement with Ankara to solve this problem, Iraqi President Abdul-Latif Rashid said in comments aired on Monday.

Türkiye said on Sunday it carried out air strikes in northern Iraq that destroyed 20 targets belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) after the militant group said it orchestrated the first bomb attack in Ankara in years.

Türkiye regards the PKK as a terrorist group and regularly carries out air strikes in northern Iraq, which has long been outside the direct control of the Baghdad government.

Türkiye has also has sent commandos and set up military bases on Iraqi territory to support its offensives.

"These violations are rejected by the Iraqi people, the (Kurdistan) region and all of Iraq's inhabitants," Rashid said in an interview with broadcaster Al-Hadath, a short clip of which was aired on Monday.

It was not clear whether the interview was filmed before or after Sunday's Turkish air strikes.

Rashid said such strikes sometimes killed civilians, including people visiting the region who "become victims of Turkish bombing."

Türkiye has denied targeting civilians and says it works to avoid civilian casualties through its coordination with Iraqi authorities.

Rashid is a member of the Iraqi Kurdish PUK party that has close ties to Iran and has criticized Türkiye’s strikes in Iraq's north.

Rashid said Baghdad hoped to come to an agreement with Ankara to resolve the issue in a manner similar to a security agreement Iraq has inked with Iran to deal with Iranian Kurdish separatist groups in the Kurdistan region.

Arab World

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Seize Military Base in Kordofan

Generals Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (AFP)
Generals Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (AFP)
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Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Seize Military Base in Kordofan

Generals Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (AFP)
Generals Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (AFP)

Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and army commander General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were implicated in the violent dispersal of civil sit-ins at the General Command four years ago.

Burhan’s statement created controversy in political circles and on social media as it was the first time he had addressed the incident that left hundreds of civilians dead and injured.

Meanwhile, the RSF captured a city in the Kordofan region, announcing in a statement on the X platform that they had seized the Wad Ashana Garrison in North Kordofan State from an extremist militia linked to the army and loyalists from the ousted regime.

The garrison was the last remaining border outpost with White Nile State.

The RSF confiscated 12 fully equipped combat vehicles during the operation, including a 12-barrel Katyusha rocket launcher and numerous other weapons and ammunition.

The capture of the Wad Ashana Garrison provides a further strategic advantage to the RSF. It opens the path to progress toward Kosti in the White Nile and other areas.

“This achievement is instrumental in our mission to neutralize the former regime and its extremist affiliates,” it said.

Ending the war

Meanwhile, Burhan toured northern cities on Sunday, starting with Dongola, the capital of North State, where he checked on military operation casualties and patients undergoing kidney dialysis at the military hospital.

He met military leaders, artillery officers, and state government officials, stressing that the armed forces are committed to ending the war peacefully or through continued conflict.

He stated that the eruption of the war on April 15 was driven by the personal ambitions of certain individuals who want to seize control of the state – a possible reference to RSF commander Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and his brother Abdul Rahim.

Burhan highlighted serious RSF violations against citizens, including theft, property damage, widespread destruction, and destruction of state institutions and infrastructure.

The chairman denounced the deceptive and false narrative promoted by the RSF, confirming its involvement in the dispersal of the sit-ins at the General Command and their oppression of the protesters.

In June 2019, forces in military and civilian attire violently attacked thousands of protesters in front of the army headquarters in central Khartoum, resulting in numerous civilian casualties without intervention from the army to protect them.

Resigned Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok had formed an independent committee to investigate the unrest, with several current high-ranking army officials and the commander of the RSF called to testify.

However, the military coup, staged by the army and RSF on October 25, 2021, which overthrew the transitional government, hindered the probe.

Arab World

Libya on Alert for Possible Flooding in South

Derna city was left devastated in wake of the deadly flooding from Storm Daniel. (Reuters)
Derna city was left devastated in wake of the deadly flooding from Storm Daniel. (Reuters)
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Libya on Alert for Possible Flooding in South

Derna city was left devastated in wake of the deadly flooding from Storm Daniel. (Reuters)
Derna city was left devastated in wake of the deadly flooding from Storm Daniel. (Reuters)

Interior Minister in Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) Imad Trabelsi issued on Sunday an order to evacuate all homes near valleys and lowland areas in the southwestern Ghat region in anticipation of possible flash floods as heavy rain was predicted in the area.

Head of the Government Emergency and Rapid Response Team and Minister of Local Government Badr Al-Din Al-Toumi had ordered public services, water and sanitation companies and the National Safety Authority to move to the city of Ghat and take the necessary precautions to avoid any damage that may result from rainfall and valley flooding, said the government Hakomitna e-platform said on its Facebook page.

Al-Ahrar TV said the media director of the National Meteorological Center warned that the nation's threat level was raised to medium risk (orange) in the southwest after an increase in thunderstorms. The official urged residents to remain cautious.

Meanwhile, head of the GNU Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah announced precautionary measures in anticipation of any emergency.

He directed Toumi to communicate with the mayors of municipalities in Ghat and nearby areas to follow up on any incidents that may result from the rainfall.

He also tasked him with taking the necessary precautions to prevent any power and communication outages.

Storm Daniel, the Mediterranean cyclone that hit eastern Libya last month, led to flooding that killed thousands of people, swept away entire neighborhoods and devastated infrastructure.

Arab World

Israel Activates Economic Measures In Favor of Palestinian Authority

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh unveils the cornerstone for the Palestine wheat silos project in the village of Burham. (Wafa)
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh unveils the cornerstone for the Palestine wheat silos project in the village of Burham. (Wafa)
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Israel Activates Economic Measures In Favor of Palestinian Authority

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh unveils the cornerstone for the Palestine wheat silos project in the village of Burham. (Wafa)
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh unveils the cornerstone for the Palestine wheat silos project in the village of Burham. (Wafa)

The Israeli government began to offer a number of economic facilities to the Palestinian Authority, lately approved under heavy pressure from Washington.

Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported on Sunday that Israel has recently slashed the gasoline tax it had been collecting from the Palestinian Authority by 50%, and has taken other measures to ease the financial situation in Ramallah.

Israeli authorities decided to collect a 1.5% gasoline tax instead of 3% from the PA, a measure that will save the Authority some 80 million shekels ($20 million) on an annual basis, according to the newspaper.

In 2023, the Israeli cabinet had taken other steps to support the Palestinian Authority's economy. These efforts include increased tax payments in favor of the PA, which now average 730 million shekels per month, compared to around half a million three years ago.

Early this year, the cabinet had announced it approved lowering the so-called “blue tax” that it levies from the PA on fuel transfers from three percent to 1.5%; raising the percentage of revenues it transfers to Ramallah from the fees it collects from travelers at the Allenby border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan; and expanding the list of tax-free imports that it facilitates on the PA’s behalf.

The Israeli government has only implemented the preliminary measures, while it said the list of tax-free imports will be updated later through the Israeli-Palestinian Joint Economic Committee.

The Committee was established under the Oslo Accords, with an aim to regulate the economic relations between Israel and the PA.

It has not convened since 2009, as a result of the political tension between the parties

The PA demands that Israel implements all three measures. Israel had previously refused, but lately accepted under ongoing pressure from the administration of US President Joe Biden.

Israeli officials said that Israeli far-right ministers, like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees the Tax Authority and the Civil Administration in Israel, also approved this decision. They said the move aligns with the Biden administration's call to improve the economic situation in the Palestinian Authority, which is believed to be on the brink of economic collapse.

The three measures could add millions of dollars to the coffers of the PA, currently going through a deteriorating financial crisis, the worst since its establishment.

For the second consecutive year, the Palestinian Authority is paying partial salaries to most of its employees due to the crisis.

Last July, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet decided that Israel would work to prevent the collapse of the PA.

The Israeli government withholds huge amounts of money in tax revenues on the PA’s behalf and hands them to the families of Israelis killed in Palestinian attacks.

Arab World

Conflicting Reports About Explosions Targeting Iranian Militias West Damascus

Security men inspect the site of the Israeli attack that targeted Iranian offices in Damascus last February (AP)
Security men inspect the site of the Israeli attack that targeted Iranian offices in Damascus last February (AP)
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Conflicting Reports About Explosions Targeting Iranian Militias West Damascus

Security men inspect the site of the Israeli attack that targeted Iranian offices in Damascus last February (AP)
Security men inspect the site of the Israeli attack that targeted Iranian offices in Damascus last February (AP)

Violent explosions were heard Sunday in al-Assad village, west of Damascus, where Iranian militia headquarters are said to be located, according to conflicting reports.

The nature of the explosions remains unclear, and some reports suggest that they targeted a building affiliated with the Fourth Division and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), resulting in two non-Syrian casualties.

Other reports imply an Israeli airstrike aimed at a structure associated with the Lebanese Hezbollah.

Various Syrian online platforms and activists have reported hearing explosions in the area of the al-Assad village under the influence of the Fourth Division led by Maher al-Assad, President Bashar’s brother.

The area hosts headquarters, barracks, and arms depots for the division, Iranian militias, and Hezbollah.

Until this report, no official military statement has been released from Damascus regarding the explosions.

Local sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that at least three explosions were heard around midnight on Saturday into Sunday. However, it is speculated that these explosions might not have resulted from Israeli missile attacks.

They indicated that typically, missile strikes are much louder than what was heard, and no sounds of aerial defenses countering Israeli missiles were reported, noting a significant presence of Iranian militia members and Hezbollah in the area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) confirmed hearing three explosions shortly after midnight, around 1:20 AM, in a building belonging to the Fourth Division and IRGC beside al-Hamzah Mosque in al-Assad villages.

The initial information indicates that the explosions resulted in the death of two persons of unknown nationality in the building and significant material damage.

Later, SOHR Directory Rami Abdul Rahman said that the targeted building could be a storehouse or a transit point towards the Syrian-Lebanese border used for transporting precision weapons.

The building is located approximately nine kilometers from the Syrian-Lebanese border between al-Assad villages and Dimas, affiliated with Hezbollah and the Quds Force of the IRGC.

Rahman said in a televised interview that the three explosions in the building led to two casualties of non-Syrian nationality, pointing out there seems to be a media blackout by the regime.

He noted that the targeting or explosions might result from an Israeli intelligence operation, with no anti-aircraft missiles launched by the regime’s defenses in response.

The “Damascus Sound” news website reported that Israeli warplanes attacked a building affiliated with Hezbollah near the al-Assad villages.

The website cites eyewitnesses saying that four explosions were heard in the vicinity, followed by rising smoke near the Hamzah Mosque.

The website quoted “special” sources saying the targeted building was reportedly used for logistical and security coordination to transport weapons between Syria and Lebanon.

The sources indicated that the airstrike destroyed the building, housing a shipment of Iranian weapons being prepared for transport into Lebanon.

The website mentioned it could not verify the exact extent of losses or whether there were casualties or injuries during the attack. It noted that no official statements had been issued, and no anti-aircraft defense systems were activated in the area.

Last August, blasts were heard in West Damascus, and reports were also conflicting regarding the nature of the explosions.

Back then, official media outlets reported on the sounds of explosions.

State-owned Sana stated that the “cause was not clear” and that an investigation was underway regarding the nature of these explosions. As customary, no official military statement was released regarding the August explosions.

Arab World

Iraqi Committee: Fireworks Caused the Wedding Hall Tragedy

People search for the remains of missing bodies after the Hamdaniya fire in Nineveh (Reuters)
People search for the remains of missing bodies after the Hamdaniya fire in Nineveh (Reuters)
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Iraqi Committee: Fireworks Caused the Wedding Hall Tragedy

People search for the remains of missing bodies after the Hamdaniya fire in Nineveh (Reuters)
People search for the remains of missing bodies after the Hamdaniya fire in Nineveh (Reuters)

The investigative committee formed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Sudani concluded that fireworks were responsible for the tragic blaze at the Hamdaniya wedding hall, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of over 200 individuals.

During a press conference attended by Interior Minister Abdel Amir al-Shammari and other officials, the committee revealed that the fireworks were the primary cause of the fire.

The committee's chair, Major General Saad Faleh Ksar al-Dulaimi, noted that the hall, with a capacity of 500 people, was constructed with iron, cement, block walls, and a roof made of combustible materials.

Dulaimi further pointed out that within the hall there was a room containing large quantities of fabric used for decoration and storage of large amounts of alcohol, with no emergency exits available.

The "main cause" of the fire was four fireworks that shot showers of sparks four meters high, Dulaimi said, adding that these ignited the prefabricated panels in the ceiling and the hall's decorations.

The head of the commission said the death toll currently stands at 107, adding that there are 82 injuries.

The owner of the hall, local officials, and directors of municipal services and electricity were blamed for negligence and irresponsibility.

Furthermore, the committee highlighted that civil defense was negligent in monitoring the hall's closure procedures for non-compliance with safety regulations.

The adviser to the Minister of the Interior, Major General Kadhim Bohan, stated during the conference that the incident was accidental and unintentional, and there were shortcomings from the wedding hall owners and resulted from gross negligence.

Bohan pointed out that "fireworks generated very high thermal energy and were used inside the hall, as the decoration on the ceiling of the hall is sensitive to heat and flammable, in addition to that the floor of the hall is also flammable, and the hall contains a storage of large quantities of alcohol."

The adviser underscored that the swift collapse of the wedding hall hindered rescue operations significantly.

Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari explained that the presence of cooling devices, combustible materials, and the lack of emergency exits accelerated the fire spread.

Shammari indicated that the hall owner increased its capacity by adding more tables and chairs covered with flammable materials.

The Minister highlighted that on the night of the incident, the owner had prepared 900 dinner servings, which collectively expedited the fire's spread.

The hall owner reportedly pulled out the camera surveillance device and fled to Erbil, where he was arrested and showed the recordings.

The Minister revealed that the committee recommended that the victims of al-Hamdaniya be considered martyrs, being a religious minority, and follow-up the investigation of the accused and coordination with the judiciary and witnesses.

The committee advised offering financial aid to the injured and covering their treatment expenses within and outside the country at the state's expense.

The recommendations also encompassed the formation of specialized committees to oversee the arrest process of those accused in the case, monitor the progress of the investigation, and refer the accused to the judiciary.

The committee further recommended the dismissal of Hamdaniya local officials, including its mayor, the director of its municipality, the director of tourism classification in Nineveh, the director of Hamdaniya electricity, and the director of fire and safety at the Nineveh Civil.

Moreover, it was suggested that the director of Civil Defense in the governorate be referred to the specialized committee and that an investigative board be established to look into his actions.

Arab World

Blaze Rips through Regional Police HQ in Egypt, 45 Injured

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a police headquarters in Ismailia on October 2, 2023. (AFP)
Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a police headquarters in Ismailia on October 2, 2023. (AFP)
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Blaze Rips through Regional Police HQ in Egypt, 45 Injured

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a police headquarters in Ismailia on October 2, 2023. (AFP)
Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a police headquarters in Ismailia on October 2, 2023. (AFP)

A huge fire ripped through a regional police headquarters in the Egyptian city of Ismailia before dawn Monday, gutting the building and leaving at least 45 people injured.  

Authorities said they had launched a probe into the cause of the blaze that destroyed the Security Directorate building in the city 110 kilometers (70 miles) northeast of Cairo.  

Several people could be seen trapped inside the burning building, screaming for help from the windows, in video footage shared on social media, and emergency crews were later seen deploying a crane to rescue them.

No fatalities have been reported from the at least eight-storey tall building that was fully staffed with police when it was engulfed by flames overnight.

Fifty ambulances rushed to the scene, joined by two army planes and military emergency services, according to the health ministry and local media.  

Crowds of onlookers flocked to the base of the building as the flames raged through it, sending black smoke billowing into the night sky.  

Twelve people were treated at the scene, the health ministry said, and 33 more were taken to hospitals in Ismailia and nearby Suez, according to the public prosecutor's office.  

Most suffered burns or smoke inhalation in the fire, first reports of which were received at 4:30 am (0130 GMT).  

By dawn, the building had been reduced to a blackened concrete shell as emergency services hosed it with water to prevent the blaze from flaring up again.  

Authorities have not said how many police or detainees were inside the building, and security forces later sealed off the area, AFP correspondents reported.  

Deadly blazes  

Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfik ordered an investigation into the cause of the fire and a "structural safety review" for the building, his ministry said.  

On social media, Egyptians demanded information and accountability.  

Deadly fires are a common hazard in the north African country where fire codes are rarely enforced and emergency services are often slow to arrive.  

In August 2022, a fire blamed on a short circuit killed 41 worshippers in a Cairo Coptic church, prompting calls to improve infrastructure and response times.

Most suffocated while trying to flee the building, and others jumped out of windows to escape the blaze, as firefighters took over an hour to arrive through a maze of alleyways.

Monday's fire in Ismailia raged through one of dozens of new police headquarters that have been built or renovated across the country over the past decade.

In March 2021, at least 20 people died in a fire at a textile factory in the capital, after two hospital fires killed 14 people the previous year.

Arab World

Houthis Launch Drone, Rocket Attack on Military Camp in Yemen’s Saada

Commander of the Alab axis Yasser Majali is seen at the military parade in Saada. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Commander of the Alab axis Yasser Majali is seen at the military parade in Saada. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Houthis Launch Drone, Rocket Attack on Military Camp in Yemen’s Saada

Commander of the Alab axis Yasser Majali is seen at the military parade in Saada. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Commander of the Alab axis Yasser Majali is seen at the military parade in Saada. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Iran-backed Houthi militias launched on Saturday an attack against a military camp in Yemen’s northern Saada province, killing one and injuring a number of people.

The attack in the Alab-Baqem area took place days after the Houthis attacked Bahraini troops in the Arab Coalitions to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen deployed on Saudi Arabia’s southern border, killing four servicemen.

Saturday’s attack, using drones and katyusha rockets, targeted a military parade commemorating the September 26 revolution in Yemen.

Member of the Presidential Leadership Council Abdulrahman al-Mahrami condemned the attack, saying it reflects the Houthis’ despair as they are constantly being confronted by the heroics of the military.

The command at the camp said the Houthis are defying regional and international efforts to establish peace in Yemen.

The militias carried out an assault along the Alab-Baqem axis, as well as the camp, it explained.

The military repelled the attack, downing several drones, it added, while stressing its right to respond to such violations in line with performing its national duties.

Spokesman for the military Abdo Majali warned that the repeated Houthi attacks on the legitimate forces or Arab Coalition will impact peace efforts.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he accused the Houthis of rejecting all regional and international peace efforts, as demonstrated by the latest attacks.

He noted that the military has become better trained and equipped in repelling attacks, but it is also keen on ensuring the success of peace efforts and lifting the morale of the people.

Arab World

Libya’s Eastern Govt Delays Derna Reconstruction Meeting

A view shows the destruction, in the aftermath of the floods in Derna, Libya September 30, 2023. (Reuters)
A view shows the destruction, in the aftermath of the floods in Derna, Libya September 30, 2023. (Reuters)
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Libya’s Eastern Govt Delays Derna Reconstruction Meeting

A view shows the destruction, in the aftermath of the floods in Derna, Libya September 30, 2023. (Reuters)
A view shows the destruction, in the aftermath of the floods in Derna, Libya September 30, 2023. (Reuters)

Libya's eastern authorities said Sunday they had postponed a reconstruction conference for the flood-hit city of Derna that had been planned for October 10.

The event was put off until November 1-2 to "offer time for the submission of effective studies and projects" for the reconstruction effort, the committee charged with planning the meeting said in a statement.

The divided country's eastern administration last month invited the "international community" to attend the conference in Derna, the coastal city where a September 10-11 flash flood devastated large areas and killed thousands.

The authorities later said the conference would draw in international companies. On Sunday, the committee said the postponed event would be held in both Derna and the eastern city of Benghazi.

According to Saqr al-Jibani, head of the organizing committee, the decision to hold off on the event followed requests by mayors of affected communities as well as business representatives who had expressed interest in attending.

The North African country has been wracked by years of fighting and chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed veteran ruler Moammar al-Gaddafi in 2011.

Libya is now split between Tripoli-based Government of National Unity in the west, and the one in the disaster-stricken east.

'Predictable setback'

The United States on Friday called on Libyans to set aside their political differences and agree on a framework to channel aid to eastern towns.

"We urge Libyan authorities now to form such unified structures -- rather than launching separate efforts -- that represent the Libyan people without delay," US special envoy Richard Norland said in a statement.

Despite a wave of nationwide solidarity since the flood, there has been no show of support for the proposed conference from the GNU of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah.

Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya specialist at the Royal United Services Institute, on Sunday said the eastern authorities were facing a "largely predictable setback", adding that "they will have no choice but to somehow work with the Tripoli authorities".

The speaker of the eastern-based parliament, Aguila Saleh, welcomed on Saturday officials from Libya's west and south and reiterated a call for a unified government and nationwide presidential elections, according to a video published by his spokesman Abdallah Bliheg.

On Wednesday, the eastern authorities had announced the creation of a fund for the reconstruction of Derna and other areas affected by the flooding.

They did not indicate how the new fund would be financed, but the parliament has already allocated 10 billion dinars ($2 billion) for reconstruction.

The GNU announced on Sunday it had allocated 92 million dinars for the maintenance of 117 schools and educational institutions damaged by the flood.

It said classes had resumed in 15 affected municipalities in the east.

According to the latest toll announced by the eastern authorities on Tuesday, at least 3,893 people died in the disaster.

International aid groups have said 10,000 or more people may be missing.

Arab World

Sudan’s Burhan: Army Rejects Dictates from Any Party

Sudanese army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan at the Flamingo Marine Base in Port Sudan in August. (AFP)
Sudanese army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan at the Flamingo Marine Base in Port Sudan in August. (AFP)
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Sudan’s Burhan: Army Rejects Dictates from Any Party

Sudanese army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan at the Flamingo Marine Base in Port Sudan in August. (AFP)
Sudanese army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan at the Flamingo Marine Base in Port Sudan in August. (AFP)

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chairman of the Sudanese ruling Sovereign Council and army commander, said on Saturday that his military is independent and not subject to any dictates from any party.

His comments came two days after the United States imposed sanctions on Ali Karti, the foreign minister under ousted leader Omar al-Bashir, who became head of the Sudanese Islamic Movement after Bashir was toppled in 2019.

On Friday, Burhan visited the Atbara artillery base, north of Khartoum in the River Nile state, where he met with local officers. This is his second visit to the base since his withdrawal from the army command compound in the Sudanese capital on August 25.

Burhan expressed his determination to end the war in Sudan, but said he aims to remove "the cancer that has infected the body of the state," reported the Arab World news agency.

The Sovereignty Council quoted Burhan as saying that the war was "imposed on us," warning about the presence of a group that wants to "swallow" Sudan.

On April 15, heavy fighting erupted between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Response Forces (RSF) in Khartoum after weeks of tensions building between the two sides.

"We are confident of victory in the battle of dignity thanks to the people's support. This army is the army of the fatherland and there is no side or party that has power over it," Burhan stressed.

He added that the war in Sudan is being waged by two brothers who only care about their own interests, referring to RSF commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, and his brother and deputy Abdul Rahim.

Last Thursday, the United States imposed sanctions on two companies, including one based in Russia, in addition to Karti, accusing them of deepening instability in Sudan.

"(Karti) and other hardline Sudanese Islamists are actively obstructing efforts to reach a ceasefire to end the current war between the Army and RSF and opposing Sudanese civilians, efforts to restore Sudan's democratic transition," the US Treasury said.

Also hit with sanctions was GSK Advance Company, a Sudan-based company the Treasury said has been used as a procurement channel for the RSF.

Meanwhile at least two people were killed and 20 others injured, including six children, during an airstrike on the Mayo neighborhood near a public hospital south of Khartoum, the South Belt Emergency Committee announced on Saturday.

The Sudanese rights group Emergency Lawyers announced that five civilians, including four members of the same family, were killed in artillery attacks by the RSF forces on the Omdurman region.

 

Armed clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF had resumed on Saturday in several areas of Khartoum.