KHALIFA HAFTAR ANNOUNCES OFFENSIVE TO TAKE DERNA FROM TERRORISTS

Source: Al Arabiya Strongman Khalifa Haftar announced a military offensive on Monday to take from “terrorists” the city of Derna, the only part of eastern Libya outside his forces’ control. “The zero hour has struck for the liberation of Derna,” said Haftar, declaring his troops had already started to crush the “bastions of terrorists” in… Continue reading KHALIFA HAFTAR ANNOUNCES OFFENSIVE TO TAKE DERNA FROM TERRORISTS

ISIS’S EXPANDING CAMPAIGN IN EUROPE

Sourced : Institute for the Study of War By Jennifer Cafarella with Jason Zhou ISIS’s attack campaign in Europe is expanding despite ISIS’s losses of terrain and senior leadership in the Middle East and North Africa. ISIS continues to plan, resource, and execute attacks from its remaining safe havens in Syria, Iraq, and Libya. ISIS… Continue reading ISIS’S EXPANDING CAMPAIGN IN EUROPE

INSIDE PUTIN’S LIBYAN POWER PLAN

Sourced : Foreign Policy By Lincoln Pigman, Kyle Orton Libya, which has been wracked by instability and violence since 2011, is re-emerging as a geopolitical hotspot. With opposing forces fighting for control of the war-torn country — the main two being the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA) —… Continue reading INSIDE PUTIN’S LIBYAN POWER PLAN

U.S HAS SECRETLY EXPANDED ITS GLOBAL NETWORK OF DRONE BASES TO NORTH AFRICA

Sourced : The Washington Post By Adam Entous and Missy Ryan The Pentagon has secretly expanded its global network of drone bases­ to North Africa, deploying unmanned aircraft and U.S. military personnel to a facility in Tunisia to conduct spy missions in neighboring Libya. The Air Force Reaper drones began flying out of the Tunisian… Continue reading U.S HAS SECRETLY EXPANDED ITS GLOBAL NETWORK OF DRONE BASES TO NORTH AFRICA

US BACKS NATO FORCE OFF LIBYA AS MIGRANT NUMBERS SOAR

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55) transits the Mediterranean Sea. Stout is on a scheduled deployment supporting U.S. 6th Fleet operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher B. Stoltz/Released)

Sourced : Voice of America By : Henry Ridgwell A NATO-led mission aimed at stemming the flow of migrants from Libya to Europe could be up and running by July, according to the Italian government.  There are fears the numbers of migrants could soar as the route through Greece and the Balkans remains blocked. Libyan… Continue reading US BACKS NATO FORCE OFF LIBYA AS MIGRANT NUMBERS SOAR

NUMBER OF ISIS FIGHTERS IN LIBYA HAS DOUBLED

by Courtney Kube Sourced : NBC News The outgoing commanding general of AFRICOM said Thursday that the number of ISIS fighters in Libya has roughly doubled in the past 12 to 18 months. General David Rodriguez said that there are between 4,000 and 6,000 fighters there now, mainly in Sirte and with some in Benghazi… Continue reading NUMBER OF ISIS FIGHTERS IN LIBYA HAS DOUBLED

U.S. SCRAMBLES TO CONTAIN GROWING ISIS THREAT IN LIBYA

By Eric Scmitt The New York Times The Islamic State’s branch in Libya is deepening its reach across a wide area of Africa, attracting new recruits from countries like Senegal that had been largely immune to the jihadist propaganda — and forcing the African authorities and their Western allies to increase efforts to combat the… Continue reading U.S. SCRAMBLES TO CONTAIN GROWING ISIS THREAT IN LIBYA

LIBYA OFFICIALS : FRENCH SPECIAL FORCES ON GROUND FIGHTING ISIS

By RAMI MUSA Associated Press French special forces have been helping Libyan troops fight Islamic State militants in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi for two months, two Libyan military officials said Wednesday. The French combat squad, consisting of 15 special forces, carried out four military operations against IS and other militant groups in Benghazi,… Continue reading LIBYA OFFICIALS : FRENCH SPECIAL FORCES ON GROUND FIGHTING ISIS