Africa

Haftar, Hemeti, and a Canadian lobbyist’s Libyan connection

Middle East Eye looked through public documents showing how a former Israeli intelligence officer lobbying for Sudan’s military council became a major player in war-torn Libya

Last week, around 1,000 members of Sudan’s notorious Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were reported to have arrived in eastern Libya, joining the ranks of Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) which is waging war against the country’s UN-recognised government in Tripoli.

Libya’s Grim Civil War Escalates

The civil war in Libya between the militias from the east and fighters from the west is escalating and keeps on drawing in foreign powers. One commander has been fighting for eight years — and sees no end in sight.

A POLITICAL BREAKTHROUGH IN SUDAN?

Following months of fighting, Sudan’s current ruling military government and the political opposition have forged a power-sharing agreement.

What happens next in Sudan will depend in large part on the rivalries and divisions that characterize the current regime, which is far from a monolith.

Terror in Tunis

  • On June 27, the Tunisian capital of Tunis was rocked by twin suicide blasts that killed one police officer and injured many others.
  • One of the explosions hit a bus carrying Tunisia’s presidential guards, while the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack via Amaq news agency.
  • The attack occurred the same day that Tunisia’s 92-year old president, Beji Caid Essebsi, was admitted to the hospital with an unspecified but serious illness, thrusting the country into upheaval and political instability.
  • Tunisia has been hailed as a country that successfully navigated the post-Arab spring period of political transition in North Africa, though significant demographic, security, and economic challenges have prevented further progress.

On June 27, the Tunisian capital was rocked by twin suicide blasts that killed one police officer and injured many others, including members of the security forces and civilians that were in the vicinity at the time of the bombings. The first attack took place close to the French Embassy, while the second occurred in the Qarajani district, close to several government and internal security buildings, including the complex belonging to Tunisia’s anti-terrorism brigades. The most recent attacks are likely to have a negative impact on tourism, a critical source of income for a country with an economy already mired in crisis.