Latest news with #UnitedNations-recognised
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Have Decided To Remove 'Terror Thorn' From India": PM Modi's Vow In Gujarat
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday targeted Pakistan over continuing support for cross-border attacks, accusing it of using terrorism as a weapon and "waging war" against India and declaring "we have decided to remove the 'terror thorn' from India". "Terrorism is not a 'proxy war'... it is your strategy. You are waging war on us," Mr Modi said in his home state of Gujarat. The PM pulled no punches in his Gandhinagar rally, throwing criticism also at political rivals - i.e., the Congress, although he did not name the party - who "tolerated proxy wars for 75 years". "For 75 years... tourists, pilgrims, civilians... wherever they (Pak-sponsored terrorists) found a chance, they attacked. Tell me, should we keep tolerating this?" he asked the raucous crowd. "'Ya goli ka jawab gole se dena chahiye' (Or should we respond to bullets with bullets)?" India believes in peace, Mr Modi declared, but will not hesitate to strike back when provoked repeatedly. In that case, he said, "India has to remind the world this is also a land of warriors." The PM"s sharp attacks on Pakistan follow heightened India-Pak tensions after the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians were killed. A proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a United Nations-recognised terrorist group operating out of Pakistan claimed responsibility. Islamabad, however, firmly denied any knowledge of Lashkar's presence, despite New Delhi having provided substantial evidence to connect the dots. After a raft of non-military measures, including suspending the critical Indus Waters Treaty that irrigates nearly 80 per cent of Pak's farmlands, India launched Operation Sindoor, a precision military response that destroyed four terror camps in Pak and five in Pak-occupied Kashmir. Op Sindoor was a 25-minute tri-service mission (the first since the India-Pak war of 1971) that began and ended in the early hours of May 7. Ignoring a warning to lay low, Pak fired drones and missiles at Indian armed forces and civilian centres that night. A military conflict raged for the next 100 hours and India responded with more precision strikes, this time targeting Pak air force bases and air defence radars. Eventually Islamabad sued for peace and a ceasefire was announced on May 12. Mr Modi and opposition politicians have praised the Indian armed forces for their response to the Pahalgam terror strike and successfully neutralising Pak's missile attacks. In his speech in Gandhinagar today, the Prime Minister said Op Sindoor had sparked a "wave of patriotism" in the country. "I have been here for two days. Yesterday I visited Vadodara, Dahod, Bhuj, and Ahmedabad... Everywhere it felt like the roaring sound of a saffron sea." "The fluttering tricolour and immense love for the motherland in every heart..." On Monday the PM accused Pak of 'living on hatred for India' and reached out to the people of the country, asking them what decades of conflict with their neighbours had given them. "I want to ask the people of Pakistan... what have you gained from terrorism? ... free Pakistan of this disease of terrorism. 'Sukh chain ki zindagi jio, roti khao. Varna meri goli to hai...'," he said, which translates as 'live a peaceful life, eat your bread, else my bullets are there'.
Al-Ahram Weekly
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Turkey to evacuate nationals as Libya violence flares - Region
Turkey was preparing on Thursday to evacuate its nationals living in the Libyan capital Tripoli after several days of fatal clashes between armed groups. "For our citizens who want to leave Tripoli, Turkish Airlines is looking into the possibility of a flight from Misrata to Istanbul," the Turkish embassy said in a post on Facebook, referring to a major port city 200 kilometres (125 miles) east of the capital. The embassy said it was working "to provide bus transport from Tripoli to Misrata". It said priority would be given to women, children and the elderly who wanted to leave, along with Turkish citizens temporarily in the country. Since the violence flared late on Monday, air traffic at Tripoli airport has come to an almost total standstill due to fighting between loyalist forces and powerful armed groups that the government is trying to dismantle. Turkey, which backs the United Nations-recognised government in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, called on Wednesday for a truce "without delay", saying it was "closely monitoring the escalating situation" in and around the capital. Libya has struggled to recover from years of unrest since the NATO-backed 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi. The country remains split between Dbeibah's government in the west and a rival authority backed by General Khalifa Haftar in the east. Despite a period of relative calm in Libya in recent years, clashes have periodically broken out between armed groups vying for territory and influence, notably in Tripoli and western Libya. The UN mission in Libya said it was "deeply alarmed by escalating violence in densely populated neighbourhoods" of the capital. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Libya's prime minister asserts control after deadly Tripoli violence
A day after deadly clashes shook Tripoli, Libya's United Nations-recognised government in the west of the country has begun asserting control following the reported killing of powerful militia leader Abdelghani al-Kikli, also known as Gheniwa. The Emergency Medicine and Support Centre confirmed it retrieved six bodies from the Tripoli neighbourhood of Abu Salim on Tuesday, after heavy fighting erupted across the capital the previous night and into the early morning. Explosions and gunfire echoed through the southern part of the city as rival armed factions clashed for several hours. The fighting stemmed from the killing of al-Kikli, commander of the Stability Support Authority, SSA, on Monday by a rival militia, a senior government and health official told the Associated Press news agency. An official and local media say al-Kikli was killed during a meeting at the 444 Brigade's base, a group loyal to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. Al-Kikli had been accused by Amnesty International of war crimes and other serious rights violations over the past decade. Libya analyst Jalel Harchaoui told the AFP news agency that al-Kikli had been ambushed, citing a relative. 'Among Tripoli's most successful armed group leaders,' he was known for outmanoeuvring the prime minister, the analyst added. On Tuesday, Dbeibah declared a military operation had dismantled 'irregular' armed groups. The move is seen as a direct effort to reassert state authority and strengthen his position in the capital. 'Gheniwa was de facto king of Tripoli,' Tarek Megerisi of the European Council on Foreign Relations told Reuters. 'His henchmen controlled the internal security agency … cash transfers from the central bank… numerous public companies and ministries'. Al-Kikli's forces reportedly operated prisons and held influence over ministries and financial institutions, underscoring a significant shift in the balance of power with his death. Clashes also spread beyond the capital, with fighting between Tripoli-based groups and rival militias from Misrata, a key coastal city to the east. Authorities imposed a temporary curfew before later announcing that calm had returned. Libya, a major oil producer and key route for immigrants and refugees crossing the Mediterranean, remains deeply divided between Dbeibah's UN-recognised administration in the west and a rival eastern government aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar. Foreign powers including Turkiye, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates continue to back opposing sides in the ongoing power struggle. Dbeibah said a 'military operation' had restored calm and asserted the government's authority. 'What was accomplished today shows that official institutions are capable of protecting the homeland and preserving the dignity of its citizens,' he wrote on X, praising the armed forces' role. Schools across parts of the capital have been closed until further notice. The UN mission in Libya expressed alarm over the use of heavy weapons in densely populated areas, warning that 'attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes' and calling on all sides to 'immediately cease fighting'. Libya plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The oil-rich nation has been governed for most of the past decade by rival governments in eastern and western Libya, each backed by an array of fighter groups and foreign governments.
Jordan Times
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
UN says 93 bodies found in mass graves in Libya
UNITED NATIONS, United States — A total of 93 bodies have now been recovered from two mass graves found in Libya during raids on human trafficking networks, the United Nations said Wednesday. One mass grave was found on February 7 on a farm in Jakharrah in northeastern Libya, and a day later another mass grave was discovered in Kufra in the southeast, with a total of 93 bodies found, the UN under secretary general for African affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, said during a Security Council meeting. She did not give a breakdown of how many bodies were found at each site. Ten days ago Libyan authorities reported the discovery of 28 bodies of sub-Saharan migrants in the mass grave in Kufra near a site where they were allegedly detained and tortured. These authorities said the grave was found after a raid on that human trafficking site, where authorities freed 76 sub-Saharan migrants. The raid targeted "a gang whose members deliberately deprived illegal immigrants of their freedom, tortured them and subjected them to cruel, humiliating and inhumane treatment," the Libyan attorney general's office said on February 9. The United Nations' International Organization for Migration then reported the second mass grave in Jakharra. "The alarming and tragic discovery of mass graves following raids on human trafficking sites highlights the severe danger faced by migrants in Libya," said DiCarlo. Libya, a key transit country for migrants attempting to reach Europe, has struggled to recover from the chaos that followed the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew longtime leader Muamer Qadhafi. It remains split between a United Nations-recognised government and a rival authority in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Smugglers and human traffickers have taken advantage of the instability since. Page 2
Al Jazeera
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Minister in Libya's national unity government injured in gun attack on car
Libya's Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Adel Jumaa has been injured following a gun attack in the capital. The Libya Observer and Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday that unknown gunmen opened fire on Jumaa's vehicle in Tripoli, leaving him wounded in the leg. The report said Jumaa was rushed to a hospital for emergency surgery following the attack. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the national unity government condemned the attack, saying Jumaa's condition was 'stable'. It added that security agencies have launched an investigation 'to track down the perpetrators and uncover the circumstances of the incident'. 'The government emphasised that it will not tolerate any attempts to undermine the security and stability of the state, reaffirming its commitment to taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of officials and citizens,' the government statement said. Libya plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The oil-rich nation has been ruled for most of the past decade by rival governments in eastern and western Libya, each backed by an array of fighter groups and foreign governments. In 2020, warring parties in Libya signed a ceasefire agreement, but a political standoff has led to the formation of two separate governments in the North African country. The United Nations-recognised national unity government is based in Tripoli, while the opposing body, the Government of National Stability, is based in the eastern city of Benghazi.
