Suicide <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/attackers-hit-libya-foreign-ministry-in-tripoli-one-dead-186382">attackers stormed the Libyan foreign ministry</a> in the capital Tripoli on Tuesday, killing at least three people including a senior civil servant in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

Twenty-one other people were wounded in the attack, authorities said.

A car bomb exploded near the ministry, prompting security forces to rush to the scene, said special forces spokesman Tarak al-Dawass.

A suicide bomber then blew himself up on the second floor of the building while a second attacker died when a suitcase he was carrying exploded, he said.

A third assailant, who was unarmed and wearing a bulletproof vest, was killed by security forces outside, Dawass added.

At least three people were killed and 21 wounded, according to the health ministry.

Foreign Minister Tahar Siala said one of the dead was senior diplomat Ibrahim al-Shaibi who headed a department in his ministry.

Plumes of smoke were seen rising from the building as ambulances, paramedics and security forces gathered outside.

IS claimed the attack in a statement distributed on social media, saying that it was carried out by three "soldiers of the caliphate" who were armed with suicide belts and automatic weapons.

Interior Minister Fathi Bash Agha admitted during a news conference that "security chaos" reigned in Libya and was "out of our control".

He said this was creating a "fertile ground" for IS to operate in the North African country.

Torn apart by power struggles and undermined by chronic insecurity, Libya has become a haven for jihadists since the ouster and killing of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Jihadist foothold

Two competing administrations, rival militias, tribes and jihadists have been vying for control of territory and the country's vast oil wealth.

IS took advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the coastal city of Sirte in 2015.

Forces loyal to the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) regained control of Sirte in December 2016 after eight months of deadly fighting.

Since then, some jihadists have returned to the desert in an attempt to regroup and reorganise.

The interior minister said his department lacked the equipment necessary to restore law and order in Libya.

Bach Agha said he found "zero weapons and zero vehicles" in the ministry's warehouses when he took up his job in October.

"Weakness and a security breakdown" allowed assailants to attack the foreign ministry, he said.

The foreign minister said the UN should lift an arms embargo it has imposed on Libya since the 2011 uprising.

"Stability cannot be restored... without a partial lifting of the embargo. It is needed to guarantee security and combat terrorism," Siala told reporters.

Envoys denounce attack

The head of the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) denounced the "cowardly terrorist attack" in a statement.

Ghassan Salame also pledged to work with Libyan people "to prevent terrorist groups from turning Libya into a haven... for their crimes".

Frank Baker, Britain's ambassador to Libya, also denounced an "appalling terrorist attack" and tweeted his condolences to the families of the victims.

Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi joined the chorus of condemnation in a statement reiterating Rome's "solidarity with the Libyan people and their just aspiration to real security".

In September, IS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on the headquarters of Libya's National Oil Company in the heart of Tripoli which left two dead and 10 wounded.

Four months earlier, it claimed an attack on the electoral commission's headquarters which left 14 dead.

In April, the GNA launched an operation to track down IS fighters operating in areas of western Libya under its control.

Last month IS claimed responsibility for an attack on militia forces in southeastern Libya in which at least nine people were killed.

The US military has regularly carried out strikes on jihadists in Libya, particularly south of Sirte.

The GNA was set up under a 2015 UN-brokered deal, but a rival administration based in the country's east aligned with military strongman Khalifa Haftar refuses to recognise its authority.

Rival Libyan leaders had agreed to a Paris-brokered deal in May to hold a nationwide election by the end of the year.

But instability, territorial disputes and divisions have delayed plans for elections.

Suicide attackers stormed the Libyan foreign ministry in the capital Tripoli on Tuesday, killing at least three people including a senior civil servant in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

Suicide attackers stormed the Libyan foreign ministry in the capital Tripoli on Tuesday, killing at least three people including a senior civil servant in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Twenty-one other people were wounded in the attack, authorities said. A car bomb exploded near the ministry, prompting security forces to rush to the scene, said special forces spokesman Tarak al-Dawass. A suicide bomber then blew himself up on the second floor of the building while a second attacker died when a suitcase he was carrying exploded, he said. A third assailant, who was unarmed and wearing a bulletproof vest, was killed by security forces outside, Dawass added. At least three people were killed and 21 wounded, according to the health ministry. Foreign Minister Tahar Siala said one of the dead was senior diplomat Ibrahim al-Shaibi who headed a department in his ministry. Plumes of smoke were seen rising from the building as ambulances, paramedics and security forces gathered outside. IS claimed the attack in a statement distributed on social media, saying that it was carried out by three "soldiers of the caliphate" who were armed with suicide belts and automatic weapons. Interior Minister Fathi Bash Agha admitted during a news conference that "security chaos" reigned in Libya and was "out of our control". He said this was creating a "fertile ground" for IS to operate in the North African country. Torn apart by power struggles and undermined by chronic insecurity, Libya has become a haven for jihadists since the ouster and killing of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Jihadist foothold Two competing administrations, rival militias, tribes and jihadists have been vying for control of territory and the country's vast oil wealth. IS took advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the coastal city of Sirte in 2015. Forces loyal to the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) regained control of Sirte in December 2016 after eight months of deadly fighting. Since then, some jihadists have returned to the desert in an attempt to regroup and reorganise. The interior minister said his department lacked the equipment necessary to restore law and order in Libya. Bach Agha said he found "zero weapons and zero vehicles" in the ministry's warehouses when he took up his job in October. "Weakness and a security breakdown" allowed assailants to attack the foreign ministry, he said. The foreign minister said the UN should lift an arms embargo it has imposed on Libya since the 2011 uprising. "Stability cannot be restored... without a partial lifting of the embargo. It is needed to guarantee security and combat terrorism," Siala told reporters. Envoys denounce attack The head of the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) denounced the "cowardly terrorist attack" in a statement. Ghassan Salame also pledged to work with Libyan people "to prevent terrorist groups from turning Libya into a haven... for their crimes". Frank Baker, Britain's ambassador to Libya, also denounced an "appalling terrorist attack" and tweeted his condolences to the families of the victims. Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi joined the chorus of condemnation in a statement reiterating Rome's "solidarity with the Libyan people and their just aspiration to real security". In September, IS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on the headquarters of Libya's National Oil Company in the heart of Tripoli which left two dead and 10 wounded. Four months earlier, it claimed an attack on the electoral commission's headquarters which left 14 dead. In April, the GNA launched an operation to track down IS fighters operating in areas of western Libya under its control. Last month IS claimed responsibility for an attack on militia forces in southeastern Libya in which at least nine people were killed. The US military has regularly carried out strikes on jihadists in Libya, particularly south of Sirte. The GNA was set up under a 2015 UN-brokered deal, but a rival administration based in the country's east aligned with military strongman Khalifa Haftar refuses to recognise its authority. Rival Libyan leaders had agreed to a Paris-brokered deal in May to hold a nationwide election by the end of the year. But instability, territorial disputes and divisions have delayed plans for elections.

Islamic State claims attack on Libya foreign ministry that killed three

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/good-momentum-achieved-in-relations-with-india-china-186424">Good momentum achieved in relations with India: China</a>

A day after Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi concluded his India visit, China's foreign ministry said a good momentum has been achieved in the current China-India relations.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-pm-modi-takes-a-walk-ridges-on-bogibeel-bridge-in-assam-186371">Watch: PM Modi takes a walk, rides on Bogibeel bridge in Assam</a>

PM Modi today inaugurated the rail-road bridge over the Brahmaputra river at Bogibeel near Dibrugarh in Assam today.

The 4.94 km bridge has double line broad gauge rail tracks and upper deck road spread in three lanes. The bridge connects Assam's Dibrugarh to Nharlgun in Itanagar in just four hours.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-bcci-announces-playing-xi-for-boxing-day-test-186410">IND vs AUS: BCCI announces playing XI for Boxing Day Test</a>

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced the playing XI for the Boxing Day Test against Australia.

In the list, both openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahul have been dropped while rookies Hanuma Vihari and debutant Mayank Agarwal will be given the opportunity to open, according to Reuters.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rat-hole-mining-rampant-in-meghalaya-despite-ngt-ban-15-labours-still-trapped-186369">After two weeks, 15 miners still trapped in Meghalaya; search operation suspended</a>

There seems to be no hope at the end of the tunnel for the 15 labourers trapped in a coal mine a fortnight ago, as search operations have been suspended by the Meghalaya government for want of high-powered pumps to flush out water from the pit.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/attackers-hit-libya-foreign-ministry-in-tripoli-one-dead-186382">Watch: Attackers hit Libya foreign ministry in Tripoli; 3 dead</a>

Gunfire and explosions rocked Libya's foreign ministry on Tuesday as attackers stormed the building in the capital Tripoli, killing at least three people.

A car bomb exploded in front of the ministry, after which "three or four assailants" entered, the source told AFP from the scene.

Good momentum achieved in relations with India: China A day after Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi concluded his India visit, China's foreign ministry said a good momentum has been achieved in the current China-India relations.

Good momentum achieved in relations with India: China A day after Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi concluded his India visit, China's foreign ministry said a good momentum has been achieved in the current China-India relations. Watch: PM Modi takes a walk, rides on Bogibeel bridge in Assam PM Modi today inaugurated the rail-road bridge over the Brahmaputra river at Bogibeel near Dibrugarh in Assam today. The 4.94 km bridge has double line broad gauge rail tracks and upper deck road spread in three lanes. The bridge connects Assam's Dibrugarh to Nharlgun in Itanagar in just four hours. IND vs AUS: BCCI announces playing XI for Boxing Day Test The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced the playing XI for the Boxing Day Test against Australia. In the list, both openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahul have been dropped while rookies Hanuma Vihari and debutant Mayank Agarwal will be given the opportunity to open, according to Reuters. After two weeks, 15 miners still trapped in Meghalaya; search operation suspended There seems to be no hope at the end of the tunnel for the 15 labourers trapped in a coal mine a fortnight ago, as search operations have been suspended by the Meghalaya government for want of high-powered pumps to flush out water from the pit. Watch: Attackers hit Libya foreign ministry in Tripoli; 3 dead Gunfire and explosions rocked Libya's foreign ministry on Tuesday as attackers stormed the building in the capital Tripoli, killing at least three people. A car bomb exploded in front of the ministry, after which "three or four assailants" entered, the source told AFP from the scene.

News brief: Big stories of the day

A migrant group said Friday it had <a href="http://13.232.42.114/world/more-than-15000-migrants-repatriated-from-libya-iom-179072">rescued </a>nearly 300 migrants off the coast of Libya over the previous 24 hours.

"More than 300 people safe on board the #OpenArms," the Proactiva Open Arms organisation tweeted.

The organisation added that it had rescued people on board three vessels in difficulty in a single day.

The vessel started patrolling the Mediterranean with two other boats run by migrant aid groups off the Libyan coast in late November.

This area of the Mediterranean has been the most deadly for migrants attempting the crossing to Europe.

More than 1,300 migrants have perished trying to reach Italy or Malta since the beginning of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Aid groups have been sending rescue vessels into these waters despite vocal opposition from Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.

Accusing the groups of acting as a "taxi service" for migrants, he has denied them access to the country's ports. Malta too has been increasingly unwilling to host rescue vessels.

Another aid group meanwhile, Sea-Eye from Germany, announced Friday that one of its vessels was setting off from the southern Spanish port of Algeciras.

The 18-strong crew includes former volunteers who were on board the Aquarius, a rescue boat run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and SOS Mediterranee.

The two groups said they had to halt activities earlier this month because of obstruction by some European countries.

A migrant group said Friday it had rescued nearly 300 migrants off the coast of Libya over the previous 24 hours. "More than 300 people safe on board the #OpenArms," the Proactiva Open Arms organisation tweeted.

A migrant group said Friday it had rescued nearly 300 migrants off the coast of Libya over the previous 24 hours. "More than 300 people safe on board the #OpenArms," the Proactiva Open Arms organisation tweeted. The organisation added that it had rescued people on board three vessels in difficulty in a single day. The vessel started patrolling the Mediterranean with two other boats run by migrant aid groups off the Libyan coast in late November. This area of the Mediterranean has been the most deadly for migrants attempting the crossing to Europe. More than 1,300 migrants have perished trying to reach Italy or Malta since the beginning of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration. Aid groups have been sending rescue vessels into these waters despite vocal opposition from Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. Accusing the groups of acting as a "taxi service" for migrants, he has denied them access to the country's ports. Malta too has been increasingly unwilling to host rescue vessels. Another aid group meanwhile, Sea-Eye from Germany, announced Friday that one of its vessels was setting off from the southern Spanish port of Algeciras. The 18-strong crew includes former volunteers who were on board the Aquarius, a rescue boat run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and SOS Mediterranee. The two groups said they had to halt activities earlier this month because of obstruction by some European countries.

Nearly 300 migrants rescued off Libya: Aid group

More than 15,000 migrants have returned home from Libya through a voluntary programme since the beginning of 2018, the International Organization for Migration said on Friday.

"So far this year, more than 15,000 migrants were able to return home to 32 countries across Africa and Asia with support from the European Union Trust Fund," IOM said on its Libya Facebook page.

IOM has a "voluntary return hotline" number on its Facebook and Twitter accounts "for migrants stranded in Libya who wish to return to their countries of origin".

The IOM accelerated the pace of departures at the end of last year, after CNN television aired footage of African markets being sold as slaves in Libya.

In 2017, IOM repatriated about 20,000 migrants through its voluntary return programme and the UN agency was hoping to increase the number to 30,000 by the end of this year.&nbsp;

Abuse of migrants is widespread in Libya, where they have been taken advantage of in the chaos which has reigned since the 2011 ousting of dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

People smugglers have taken advantage of the turmoil, putting African migrants seeking to reach Europe at greater risk.

Many migrants, intercepted or rescued at sea, find themselves held in detention centres where they face dire conditions.

More than 15,000 migrants have returned home from Libya through a voluntary programme since the beginning of 2018, the International Organization for Migration said on Friday.

More than 15,000 migrants have returned home from Libya through a voluntary programme since the beginning of 2018, the International Organization for Migration said on Friday. "So far this year, more than 15,000 migrants were able to return home to 32 countries across Africa and Asia with support from the European Union Trust Fund," IOM said on its Libya Facebook page. IOM has a "voluntary return hotline" number on its Facebook and Twitter accounts "for migrants stranded in Libya who wish to return to their countries of origin". The IOM accelerated the pace of departures at the end of last year, after CNN television aired footage of African markets being sold as slaves in Libya. In 2017, IOM repatriated about 20,000 migrants through its voluntary return programme and the UN agency was hoping to increase the number to 30,000 by the end of this year. Abuse of migrants is widespread in Libya, where they have been taken advantage of in the chaos which has reigned since the 2011 ousting of dictator Moamer Kadhafi. People smugglers have taken advantage of the turmoil, putting African migrants seeking to reach Europe at greater risk. Many migrants, intercepted or rescued at sea, find themselves held in detention centres where they face dire conditions.

More than 15,000 migrants repatriated from Libya: IOM

At least nine security service members were killed in a suspected Islamic State group attack in the southeastern Libyan town of Tazerbo on Friday, a senior security official said.

Eleven other people including civilians and a security chief were also "kidnapped" by members of the extremist group, which attacked a police station in the oasis town, added the official.

The Tazerbo desert region is controlled by the forces of strongman Khalifa Haftar, who heads the self-styled National Libyan Army (ANL).

The capital Tripoli is the seat of a rival administration -- the internationally-backed government led by Fayez al-Sarraj.

The attack, which has not yet been claimed, is the second in less than a month targeting forces loyal to Haftar.

The first, claimed by IS, killed at least five people in October in the central Kufra region.

Another attack in August claimed by IS killed 11 people including nine members of the ANL.

Torn apart by power struggles and undermined by chronic insecurity, Libya has become a haven for jihadists since the ouster and killing of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

IS took advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the city of Sirte in 2015 but forces loyal to a UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) resumed control of the city in December 2016 after eight months of deadly fighting.

Since then, some jihadists have returned to the desert in an attempt to regroup and reorganise.

In September, IS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on the headquarters of the Libya's National Oil Company (NOC) in the heart of Tripoli which left two dead and 10 wounded.

Four months earlier, it also claimed an attack on the electoral commission headquarters which left 14 dead.

At least nine security service members were killed in a suspected Islamic State group attack in the southeastern Libyan town of Tazerbo on Friday, a senior security official said.

At least nine security service members were killed in a suspected Islamic State group attack in the southeastern Libyan town of Tazerbo on Friday, a senior security official said. Eleven other people including civilians and a security chief were also "kidnapped" by members of the extremist group, which attacked a police station in the oasis town, added the official. The Tazerbo desert region is controlled by the forces of strongman Khalifa Haftar, who heads the self-styled National Libyan Army (ANL). The capital Tripoli is the seat of a rival administration -- the internationally-backed government led by Fayez al-Sarraj. The attack, which has not yet been claimed, is the second in less than a month targeting forces loyal to Haftar. The first, claimed by IS, killed at least five people in October in the central Kufra region. Another attack in August claimed by IS killed 11 people including nine members of the ANL. Torn apart by power struggles and undermined by chronic insecurity, Libya has become a haven for jihadists since the ouster and killing of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. IS took advantage of the chaos to gain a foothold in the city of Sirte in 2015 but forces loyal to a UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) resumed control of the city in December 2016 after eight months of deadly fighting. Since then, some jihadists have returned to the desert in an attempt to regroup and reorganise. In September, IS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on the headquarters of the Libya's National Oil Company (NOC) in the heart of Tripoli which left two dead and 10 wounded. Four months earlier, it also claimed an attack on the electoral commission headquarters which left 14 dead.

Nine dead in suspected IS attack in Libya

At least five people were killed Monday and 10 others kidnapped in an attack by suspected Islamic State group jihadists on a town in central Libya, local and military sources said.

Three civilians were among the dead, while a soldier was wounded and 10 people "missing, probably kidnapped", said General Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for the Libyan National Army.

The raid targeted the desert town of Al-Fuqaha in Jufra district, which has for over a year been held by forces allied to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, who leads the self-styled LNA.

LNA forces responded to the attack but the IS fighters fled south, killing a five victim and injuring another at a security checkpoint, Mesmari said.

Earlier, municipal council member Abdellatif Jalala told AFP that three civilians and a policeman had been killed in the dawn attack, more than 800 kilometres (490 miles) south of the capital Tripoli.

He said the assailants kidnapped at least eight others before fleeing into the Haruj mountains further south.&nbsp;

Jufra lawmaker Ismail al-Sharif said IS fighters attacked the city with 25 vehicles, beheaded five civilians and torched local government and security offices.

The attackers set fire to police posts and public buildings in Al-Fuqaha, he added.

Both Sharif and Jalala said the raid was likely retaliation for arrests earlier this month of alleged IS members in the area.&nbsp;

The Jufra region has been regularly hit by attacks attributed to jihadists. In August 2017, an attack claimed by IS killed 11 people, including nine LNA fighters.

IS took advantage of the chaos that reigned in Libya after the 2011 NATO-backed ouster of Moamer Kadhafi to establish footholds in several parts of the country.

In June 2015, jihadists seized control of Kadhafi's hometown of Sirte, only ceding it in December of the following year in the face of an offensive by forces loyal to the UN-backed government in Tripoli.

In April this year, the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord launched an operation to track down IS fighters operating in areas of western Libya under its control.

The US military has regularly carried out strikes on jihadists in Libya, particularly south of Sirte.&nbsp;

Many jihadists have since retreated to desert areas in the country's south, where they are attempting to regroup.&nbsp;

A September 10 suicide attack later claimed by IS on Libya's National Oil Company headquarters in the heart of Tripoli left two dead and 10 others wounded. &nbsp;

Four months earlier, IS claimed an attack on Libya's electoral commission headquarters in Tripoli that killed 14 people.

At least five people were killed Monday and 10 others kidnapped in an attack by suspected Islamic State group jihadists on a town in central Libya, local and military sources said.

At least five people were killed Monday and 10 others kidnapped in an attack by suspected Islamic State group jihadists on a town in central Libya, local and military sources said. Three civilians were among the dead, while a soldier was wounded and 10 people "missing, probably kidnapped", said General Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for the Libyan National Army. The raid targeted the desert town of Al-Fuqaha in Jufra district, which has for over a year been held by forces allied to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, who leads the self-styled LNA. LNA forces responded to the attack but the IS fighters fled south, killing a five victim and injuring another at a security checkpoint, Mesmari said. Earlier, municipal council member Abdellatif Jalala told AFP that three civilians and a policeman had been killed in the dawn attack, more than 800 kilometres (490 miles) south of the capital Tripoli. He said the assailants kidnapped at least eight others before fleeing into the Haruj mountains further south. Jufra lawmaker Ismail al-Sharif said IS fighters attacked the city with 25 vehicles, beheaded five civilians and torched local government and security offices. The attackers set fire to police posts and public buildings in Al-Fuqaha, he added. Both Sharif and Jalala said the raid was likely retaliation for arrests earlier this month of alleged IS members in the area. The Jufra region has been regularly hit by attacks attributed to jihadists. In August 2017, an attack claimed by IS killed 11 people, including nine LNA fighters. IS took advantage of the chaos that reigned in Libya after the 2011 NATO-backed ouster of Moamer Kadhafi to establish footholds in several parts of the country. In June 2015, jihadists seized control of Kadhafi's hometown of Sirte, only ceding it in December of the following year in the face of an offensive by forces loyal to the UN-backed government in Tripoli. In April this year, the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord launched an operation to track down IS fighters operating in areas of western Libya under its control. The US military has regularly carried out strikes on jihadists in Libya, particularly south of Sirte. Many jihadists have since retreated to desert areas in the country's south, where they are attempting to regroup. A September 10 suicide attack later claimed by IS on Libya's National Oil Company headquarters in the heart of Tripoli left two dead and 10 others wounded. Four months earlier, IS claimed an attack on Libya's electoral commission headquarters in Tripoli that killed 14 people.

At least 5 dead in suspected Islamic State attack in central Libya

The UN envoy to Libya told AFP that it will be difficult to hold elections as hoped on December 10, following a new wave of fighting in the North African nation.

"There is still a lot to do. It may not be possible to respect the date of December 10," Ghassan Salame said in an interview.

Rival Libyan leaders agreed to a Paris-brokered deal in May to hold a nationwide election by the end of the year.

But Salame said that the polls may not be organised before three or four months.

"We can hold elections in the near future, yes. But certainly not now," he added in the interview on Saturday evening at the heavily fortified UN mission in Tripoli.

Clashes between militias in suburbs of the capital have left more than 100 people dead since late August.

Libya remains divided between the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east that enjoys support from Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

The GNA was set up under a 2015 UN-brokered deal that raised hopes of an easing of the chaos that followed the 2011 NATO-backed armed uprising which ousted Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

The Paris meeting brought together for the first time GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj and military strongman Khalifa Haftar, whose self-styled Libyan National Army dominates the country's east.

Also present were Aguila Saleh Issa, the parliament speaker based in the eastern city of Tobruk, and Khalid Al-Mishri, the head of the High Council of State.

The Paris agreement set a September 16 deadline for conditions to be met for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held by the end of this year.

This was to be based on a new constitution that would have to be put to a referendum, as well as a new electoral law.

But many observers have said the timetable was overly ambitious given ongoing instability and territorial disputes across the country, along with an economy that is flagging despite Libya's vast oil wealth.

The United Nations is hoping that elections will help turn the page on years of chaos in Libya.

On Monday France called for stronger UN sanctions on Libyans who stand in the way of a political solution.

Logistical problems&nbsp;

The clashes that erupted on Tripoli's southern outskirts on August 27 were between rival militias both from and outside the capital.

The UN brokered a ceasefire on September 4, but fighting resumed within days.

By the time the guns fell silent again on Wednesday, the fighting had left at least 117 dead and more than 400 wounded, according to the GNA.

Salame said the hopes of holding polls in December were made more "difficult" by the delayed adoption of the electoral law, which finally happened last week.

"If everything goes well, the referendum could take place before the end of the year", but the elections could only be organised in "three to four months" depending on the security situation, the envoy said.

"We still need a parliamentary electoral law and another for the presidential (elections)," said the Lebanese diplomat.

Salame said there were also logistical problems after a deadly suicide attack by the Islamic State group severely damaged the electoral commission headquarters.

The attack has "greatly delayed" the work of the commission whose offices would soon be moved, he said.

Once it relocates, the commission would launch a new voter registration campaign "in the coming weeks".

Salame said the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) was helping the GNA to sift through thousands of people -- civilian and militia -- to be registered as regular security forces.

Some of them could become regular police officers, but "there will be militiamen who will have to look for a job elsewhere", said the envoy.

On the political front, Salame reaffirmed his support for the GNA, while stressing the need to reform it.

The UN envoy to Libya told AFP that it will be difficult to hold elections as hoped on December 10, following a new wave of fighting in the North African nation.

The UN envoy to Libya told AFP that it will be difficult to hold elections as hoped on December 10, following a new wave of fighting in the North African nation. "There is still a lot to do. It may not be possible to respect the date of December 10," Ghassan Salame said in an interview. Rival Libyan leaders agreed to a Paris-brokered deal in May to hold a nationwide election by the end of the year. But Salame said that the polls may not be organised before three or four months. "We can hold elections in the near future, yes. But certainly not now," he added in the interview on Saturday evening at the heavily fortified UN mission in Tripoli. Clashes between militias in suburbs of the capital have left more than 100 people dead since late August. Libya remains divided between the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east that enjoys support from Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. The GNA was set up under a 2015 UN-brokered deal that raised hopes of an easing of the chaos that followed the 2011 NATO-backed armed uprising which ousted Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi. The Paris meeting brought together for the first time GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj and military strongman Khalifa Haftar, whose self-styled Libyan National Army dominates the country's east. Also present were Aguila Saleh Issa, the parliament speaker based in the eastern city of Tobruk, and Khalid Al-Mishri, the head of the High Council of State. The Paris agreement set a September 16 deadline for conditions to be met for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held by the end of this year. This was to be based on a new constitution that would have to be put to a referendum, as well as a new electoral law. But many observers have said the timetable was overly ambitious given ongoing instability and territorial disputes across the country, along with an economy that is flagging despite Libya's vast oil wealth. The United Nations is hoping that elections will help turn the page on years of chaos in Libya. On Monday France called for stronger UN sanctions on Libyans who stand in the way of a political solution. Logistical problems The clashes that erupted on Tripoli's southern outskirts on August 27 were between rival militias both from and outside the capital. The UN brokered a ceasefire on September 4, but fighting resumed within days. By the time the guns fell silent again on Wednesday, the fighting had left at least 117 dead and more than 400 wounded, according to the GNA. Salame said the hopes of holding polls in December were made more "difficult" by the delayed adoption of the electoral law, which finally happened last week. "If everything goes well, the referendum could take place before the end of the year", but the elections could only be organised in "three to four months" depending on the security situation, the envoy said. "We still need a parliamentary electoral law and another for the presidential (elections)," said the Lebanese diplomat. Salame said there were also logistical problems after a deadly suicide attack by the Islamic State group severely damaged the electoral commission headquarters. The attack has "greatly delayed" the work of the commission whose offices would soon be moved, he said. Once it relocates, the commission would launch a new voter registration campaign "in the coming weeks". Salame said the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) was helping the GNA to sift through thousands of people -- civilian and militia -- to be registered as regular security forces. Some of them could become regular police officers, but "there will be militiamen who will have to look for a job elsewhere", said the envoy. On the political front, Salame reaffirmed his support for the GNA, while stressing the need to reform it.

UN envoy says hard to hold Libya elections in December

Italy has appealed to NATO for greater help in tackling illegal immigration from North Africa, especially Libya, with its new government saying the country was "under attack" from the south.

EU rules mean migrants must apply for asylum in the European country where they first arrive, putting pressure on Italy and Greece, the entry points for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia since 2015.

"We cannot have closer cooperation between NATO and the European Union in the Mediterranean and elsewhere," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said after meeting NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.

Italy's new government formed by the anti-establishment M5S and anti-immigration League parties considers the Mediterranean the EU's "southern flank" and has sounded the alarm on immigration saying terrorists could sneak into Europe and wreak havoc.

On Sunday, Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi had underscored "the importance for Italy for the NATO Brussels summit to reaffirm the approach of a 360-degree security policy without neglecting the southern flank from where serious challenges emerge for the alliance, starting with terrorism."

"NATO's engagement in the south constitutes an important component of its strategy shift," he said, after meeting with Stoltenberg.

The first to lead the charge was Interior Minister and League chief Matteo Salvini who has continued with his anti-migrant rhetoric since taking charge.

"We are under attack and we are asking NATO for a defensive alliance to protect us," he had said. "Italy is under attack from the south and not from the east."

The summer of 2016 saw a surge in mass drownings in the Mediterranean as Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II peaked with hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and elsewhere.

The first to lead the charge was Interior Minister and League chief Matteo Salvini who has continued with his anti-migrant rhetoric since taking charge

Italy has appealed to NATO for greater help in tackling illegal immigration from North Africa, especially Libya, with its new government saying the country was "under attack" from the south. EU rules mean migrants must apply for asylum in the European country where they first arrive, putting pressure on Italy and Greece, the entry points for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia since 2015. "We cannot have closer cooperation between NATO and the European Union in the Mediterranean and elsewhere," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said after meeting NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg. Italy's new government formed by the anti-establishment M5S and anti-immigration League parties considers the Mediterranean the EU's "southern flank" and has sounded the alarm on immigration saying terrorists could sneak into Europe and wreak havoc. On Sunday, Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi had underscored "the importance for Italy for the NATO Brussels summit to reaffirm the approach of a 360-degree security policy without neglecting the southern flank from where serious challenges emerge for the alliance, starting with terrorism." "NATO's engagement in the south constitutes an important component of its strategy shift," he said, after meeting with Stoltenberg. The first to lead the charge was Interior Minister and League chief Matteo Salvini who has continued with his anti-migrant rhetoric since taking charge. "We are under attack and we are asking NATO for a defensive alliance to protect us," he had said. "Italy is under attack from the south and not from the east." The summer of 2016 saw a surge in mass drownings in the Mediterranean as Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II peaked with hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Italy seeks NATO help in tackling migrant crisis

The UN Security Council is expected to give its backing today to the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya in December.

The council has scheduled a meeting to adopt a French-drafted presidential statement that would welcome "the momentum generated" by an international conference on Libya hosted by President Emmanuel Macron on May 29.

Libya plunged into chaos following a 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Since 2014, the country has been split between rival governments and parliaments based in the western and eastern regions, each backed by different militias and tribes.

The draft presidential statement would put the Security Council on record saying that "the current political and security situation in Libya is not sustainable." And it would note "the resounding call of all Libyans for credible, inclusive and peaceful elections in order to achieve a united and stable Libya." At the Paris conference, rival Libyan leaders agreed on a political roadmap leading to elections on&nbsp;December 10.

The draft presidential statement welcomes their commitment "to work constructively with the UN to organize credible and peaceful parliamentary and presidential elections, and to respect the results." It also welcomes the parties' recognition "of the importance of developing a constitutional basis for elections." The statement further recognizes the key role of UN envoy Ghassan Salame "in consulting with Libyan parties to set the constitutional basis for elections and to adopt the necessary laws."

The draft notes the commitment of parties to the Paris agreement "to organize an inclusive political conference" under UN auspices to follow up on implementation of the roadmap.

It would also express concern at the humanitarian situation in Libya, especially in Derna where clashes have been ongoing since April and would call on all parties "to exercise restraint."

The draft presidential statement would put the Security Council on record saying that "the current political and security situation in Libya is not sustainable."

The UN Security Council is expected to give its backing today to the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya in December. The council has scheduled a meeting to adopt a French-drafted presidential statement that would welcome "the momentum generated" by an international conference on Libya hosted by President Emmanuel Macron on May 29. Libya plunged into chaos following a 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Since 2014, the country has been split between rival governments and parliaments based in the western and eastern regions, each backed by different militias and tribes. The draft presidential statement would put the Security Council on record saying that "the current political and security situation in Libya is not sustainable." And it would note "the resounding call of all Libyans for credible, inclusive and peaceful elections in order to achieve a united and stable Libya." At the Paris conference, rival Libyan leaders agreed on a political roadmap leading to elections on December 10. The draft presidential statement welcomes their commitment "to work constructively with the UN to organize credible and peaceful parliamentary and presidential elections, and to respect the results." It also welcomes the parties' recognition "of the importance of developing a constitutional basis for elections." The statement further recognizes the key role of UN envoy Ghassan Salame "in consulting with Libyan parties to set the constitutional basis for elections and to adopt the necessary laws." The draft notes the commitment of parties to the Paris agreement "to organize an inclusive political conference" under UN auspices to follow up on implementation of the roadmap. It would also express concern at the humanitarian situation in Libya, especially in Derna where clashes have been ongoing since April and would call on all parties "to exercise restraint."

UN council expected to back elections in Libya in December

Groups in western Libya have cast doubt on talks in Paris on Tuesday that aim to pave the way for elections in the divided country, fearing the meeting could play into the hands of their rival, eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar.

Libya splintered following the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, and since 2014 has been divided into competing political and military factions based in Tripoli and the east. The United Nations is leading an effort to reunify the oil-rich nation and to organise national elections.

The Paris meeting is due to include Haftar, Tripoli Prime Minister Fayez Seraj, and the leaders of rival parliamentary assemblies, and urge them to agree to general principles for ending Libya's crisis, a French official said.

"There will be a collective commitment to do everything to ensure that the elections are held by the end of the year," the official said. France is also seeking agreement on unifying financial and security institutions.

Tripoli's State Council, one of Libya's two rival assemblies, voted to send a delegation to the talks, but also issued a series of demands including an immediate ceasefire in the eastern city of Derna and the lifting of a siege there by Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA).

The LNA stepped up its campaign in Derna earlier this month and clashes continued there on Monday.

The State Council also said a UN-brokered political deal from 2015, which eastern factions have rejected, must remain in place, and that military institution must operate under civilian authority.

Haftar has appointed military governors to replace elected mayors in much of eastern Libya. Opponents suspect him of seeking national power and fear he will return the country to authoritarian rule.

A group of 13 military councils and brigades in western Libya issued a statement saying that the Paris initiative did not represent them. "We call for real dialogue focused on the aspirations of Libyan society in its aspects," the statement said.

It also declared its opposition to "foreign interference" and to "any initiative aimed at normalising military rule".

Over the weekend, Tripoli armed groups displaced the Presidential Guard -- a force formed by Seraj's Government of National Accord with international backing -- from strategic positions at the capital's shuttered international airport and the prime minister's office. Diplomatic sources linked the move at least in part to unease over the Paris meeting.

Under President Emmanuel Macron, France has tried to expand its role in coaxing Libya's factions to end the turmoil. Last year Macron convened rare talks between Haftar and Seraj in Paris.

But critics have questioned the need for this week's talks, given an existing "action plan" launched last year by UN&nbspLibya envoy Ghassan Salame, which is also aimed at paving the way for elections.

"The steps that need to be taken were already pretty much known and identified by the action plan," said one diplomatic source. "So we don't need another plan, and my fear is that this new initiative if anything engenders extra confusion."

France says there will be broad international participation at Tuesday's talks and that they are in accordance with Salame's plans.

Given continuing divisions in Libya, the Paris meeting should not impose too rigid a framework on participants, to avoid "creating unrealistic expectations that, when dashed, can only harden existing narratives and further inflame tensions", the non-governmental International Crisis Group said in a briefing.

Groups in western Libya have cast doubt on talks in Paris on Tuesday that aim to pave the way for elections in the divided country, fearing the meeting could play into the hands of their rival, eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar

Groups in western Libya have cast doubt on talks in Paris on Tuesday that aim to pave the way for elections in the divided country, fearing the meeting could play into the hands of their rival, eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar. Libya splintered following the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, and since 2014 has been divided into competing political and military factions based in Tripoli and the east. The United Nations is leading an effort to reunify the oil-rich nation and to organise national elections. The Paris meeting is due to include Haftar, Tripoli Prime Minister Fayez Seraj, and the leaders of rival parliamentary assemblies, and urge them to agree to general principles for ending Libya's crisis, a French official said. "There will be a collective commitment to do everything to ensure that the elections are held by the end of the year," the official said. France is also seeking agreement on unifying financial and security institutions. Tripoli's State Council, one of Libya's two rival assemblies, voted to send a delegation to the talks, but also issued a series of demands including an immediate ceasefire in the eastern city of Derna and the lifting of a siege there by Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA). The LNA stepped up its campaign in Derna earlier this month and clashes continued there on Monday. The State Council also said a UN-brokered political deal from 2015, which eastern factions have rejected, must remain in place, and that military institution must operate under civilian authority. Haftar has appointed military governors to replace elected mayors in much of eastern Libya. Opponents suspect him of seeking national power and fear he will return the country to authoritarian rule. A group of 13 military councils and brigades in western Libya issued a statement saying that the Paris initiative did not represent them. "We call for real dialogue focused on the aspirations of Libyan society in its aspects," the statement said. It also declared its opposition to "foreign interference" and to "any initiative aimed at normalising military rule". Over the weekend, Tripoli armed groups displaced the Presidential Guard -- a force formed by Seraj's Government of National Accord with international backing -- from strategic positions at the capital's shuttered international airport and the prime minister's office. Diplomatic sources linked the move at least in part to unease over the Paris meeting. Under President Emmanuel Macron, France has tried to expand its role in coaxing Libya's factions to end the turmoil. Last year Macron convened rare talks between Haftar and Seraj in Paris. But critics have questioned the need for this week's talks, given an existing "action plan" launched last year by UN&nbspLibya envoy Ghassan Salame, which is also aimed at paving the way for elections. "The steps that need to be taken were already pretty much known and identified by the action plan," said one diplomatic source. "So we don't need another plan, and my fear is that this new initiative if anything engenders extra confusion." France says there will be broad international participation at Tuesday's talks and that they are in accordance with Salame's plans. Given continuing divisions in Libya, the Paris meeting should not impose too rigid a framework on participants, to avoid "creating unrealistic expectations that, when dashed, can only harden existing narratives and further inflame tensions", the non-governmental International Crisis Group said in a briefing.

West Libya factions raise doubts on Paris talks

At least 12 people were dead and several were left injured on Wednesday after a group of suicide bombers stormed into the head offices of Libya's electoral commission in Tripoli on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The three attackers set the building on fire before two of them blew themselves up and one was killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces. Several offices were set ablaze in the attack.

Eyewitnesses said they heard two loud explosions followed by heavy gunfire. As per reports, three people were severely wounded in the attack. The identity of the attackers is yet to be known.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but it appeared aimed at derailing efforts to organise elections in Libya by the end of this year, part of a UN-led attempt to unify and stabilise the country after years of conflict and political division.

Wednesday's attack was the first of its kind in Tripoli for several years. Though security across Libya remains volatile, violence in the capital has recently been limited to localised clashes between armed groups.

Pictures posted on social media showed thick black smoke billowing from the site of the attack, in the Ghout al-Shaal district west of central Tripoli.

"I saw two suicide bombers myself... they were shouting Allahu Akbar (God is greatest)," said Omar, adding that he had seen bombers' body parts strewn on the ground.

"A suicide bomber blew up himself inside the commission and the others set a part of the building on fire."

The victims included three employees of the commission and four members of local security forces, Omar said. The health ministry put the toll at 12 dead and seven wounded.

The three attackers set the building on fire before two of them blew themselves up and one was killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces. Several offices were set ablaze in the attack

At least 12 people were dead and several were left injured on Wednesday after a group of suicide bombers stormed into the head offices of Libya's electoral commission in Tripoli on Wednesday. The three attackers set the building on fire before two of them blew themselves up and one was killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces. Several offices were set ablaze in the attack. Eyewitnesses said they heard two loud explosions followed by heavy gunfire. As per reports, three people were severely wounded in the attack. The identity of the attackers is yet to be known. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but it appeared aimed at derailing efforts to organise elections in Libya by the end of this year, part of a UN-led attempt to unify and stabilise the country after years of conflict and political division. Wednesday's attack was the first of its kind in Tripoli for several years. Though security across Libya remains volatile, violence in the capital has recently been limited to localised clashes between armed groups. Pictures posted on social media showed thick black smoke billowing from the site of the attack, in the Ghout al-Shaal district west of central Tripoli. "I saw two suicide bombers myself... they were shouting Allahu Akbar (God is greatest)," said Omar, adding that he had seen bombers' body parts strewn on the ground. "A suicide bomber blew up himself inside the commission and the others set a part of the building on fire." The victims included three employees of the commission and four members of local security forces, Omar said. The health ministry put the toll at 12 dead and seven wounded.

At least 12 dead after suicide bombers storm Libya election commission headquarters

At least 15 African migrants died on Sunday when their boat trying to reach Europe capsized off the Algerian coast, a coast guard official said.

Coast guard and civil protection authorities rescued 19 of 34 people on board, state news agency APS said.

The boat sank off the coast of Oran, a city some 450 km west of the capital Algiers, the official told Ennahar TV station, adding that the boat had departed from Morocco.

No details on nationalities were provided.

Last week, Algeria's interior ministry said the North African country was suffering from an influx of illegal migrants from sub-Saharan countries as Europe had made boat departures more difficult from Libya and other countries.&nbsp

Coast guard and civil protection authorities rescued 19 of 34 people on board

At least 15 African migrants died on Sunday when their boat trying to reach Europe capsized off the Algerian coast, a coast guard official said. Coast guard and civil protection authorities rescued 19 of 34 people on board, state news agency APS said. The boat sank off the coast of Oran, a city some 450 km west of the capital Algiers, the official told Ennahar TV station, adding that the boat had departed from Morocco. No details on nationalities were provided. Last week, Algeria's interior ministry said the North African country was suffering from an influx of illegal migrants from sub-Saharan countries as Europe had made boat departures more difficult from Libya and other countries.

 At least 15 migrants die after boat sinks off Algerian coast

Three people were killed in a plane crash at an airfield at EI Sharara oilfield on Sunday.

The deceased include two pilots and a flight assistant.

The Libyan transport plane&nbspcrashed and exploded in the desert away from the oilfield’s facilities.

The aircraft are used to deliver supplies to the remote oilfield.

&nbsp

&nbsp

(With inputs from Reuters)

The aircraft are used to deliver supplies to the remote oilfield

Three people were killed in a plane crash at an airfield at EI Sharara oilfield on Sunday. The deceased include two pilots and a flight assistant. The Libyan transport plane&nbspcrashed and exploded in the desert away from the oilfield’s facilities. The aircraft are used to deliver supplies to the remote oilfield. (With inputs from Reuters)

Libyan transport plane crashes at El Sharara oilfield, 3 killed :Reports

According to reports, Libya's self-styled National Army has claimed to have carried out airstrikes near the city of Misrata.

As many as three strikes were carried out on Saturday against "terrorist sites" at a region controlled by a rival militia, an al-Qaida-linked group.

The attack destroyed dozens of weapons and vehicles in the town of Sadada located nearly 80&nbsp;kilometres east of Misrata city.

Libya grapples with internal conflict after the 2011 uprising. The country is divided between rival governments.&nbsp;

While the Libya National Army supports a government in the east, the Misrata militia follows a UN-backed government in Tripoli.

Libya grapples with internal conflict after the 2011 uprising

According to reports, Libya's self-styled National Army has claimed to have carried out airstrikes near the city of Misrata. As many as three strikes were carried out on Saturday against "terrorist sites" at a region controlled by a rival militia, an al-Qaida-linked group. The attack destroyed dozens of weapons and vehicles in the town of Sadada located nearly 80 kilometres east of Misrata city. Libya grapples with internal conflict after the 2011 uprising. The country is divided between rival governments. While the Libya National Army supports a government in the east, the Misrata militia follows a UN-backed government in Tripoli.

Libyan airstrikes target 'terrorist sites' near Misrata city

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Russian action to expel 60 US diplomats marks further deterioration in bilateral ties: White House Russia's decision to expel 60 American diplomats and order closer to the US Consulate in St Petersburg marks a further deterioration in bilateral ties, the White House said today. Magnitude 6.9 quake off Papua New Guinea, tsunami danger passes A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Papua New Guinea`s New Britain island on Friday, initially triggering a tsunami warning for surrounding coastlines, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. US withdrawing from Syria 'very soon': Donald Trump US President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that US forces would pull out of Syria "very soon" and lamented what he said was Washington`s waste of $7 trillion in Middle East wars. 8 killed in suicide attack in eastern Libya: Security officer At least eight people, including civilians, were killed late Thursday in a suicide car bombing of a security barricade in the east of Libya, the second such attack in less than a month, local security and hospital sources said. TV actor Siddharth Sagar missing for the past four months, parents untraceable too Comedian Siddharth Sagar has been missing for the past four months. The actor, who has appeared in several comedy shows on TV including The Kapil Sharma show, has been untraceable since November 2017, a friend has alleged.

News Brief: Big stories of the day

At least eight people, including civilians, were killed late Thursday in a suicide car bombing of a security barricade in the east of Libya, the second such attack in less than a month, local security and hospital sources said.

A suicide attacker exploded his vehicle at a barricade manned by forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar near the city of Ajdabiya some 840 kilometres (520 miles) from Tripoli, general Fawzi al-Mansouri, a top officer in the local security forces, told AFP.

Eight other people were injured.

"Five people died on arriving at the hospital shortly after the attack," a source at the city's public hospital told AFP.

The three other victims died later of their injuries, the source who requested anonymity said.

"There were civilians among the dead and injured," Mansouri said, adding that no one has yet claimed responsibility.

A suicide attack which injured three people on March 9 south of Ajdabiya was claimed by the Islamic State group.

Despite the loss of its Sirte bastion in northern Libya in December 2016, IS remains active in the center and south of the country.

The oil-rich North African country has been wracked by chaos since a 2011 uprising that toppled and killed long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi.&nbsp

Two authorities -- the Tripoli-based unity government and a rival administration in the east -- are vying for control of Libya.

Haftar, who opposes a UN-backed unity government based in Tripoli, announced the "liberation" of the eastern city of Benghazi last July after a three-year campaign.

 
&nbsp

A suicide attacker exploded his vehicle at a barricade manned by forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar near the city of Ajdabiya some 840 kilometres from Tripoli

At least eight people, including civilians, were killed late Thursday in a suicide car bombing of a security barricade in the east of Libya, the second such attack in less than a month, local security and hospital sources said. A suicide attacker exploded his vehicle at a barricade manned by forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar near the city of Ajdabiya some 840 kilometres (520 miles) from Tripoli, general Fawzi al-Mansouri, a top officer in the local security forces, told AFP. Eight other people were injured. "Five people died on arriving at the hospital shortly after the attack," a source at the city's public hospital told AFP. The three other victims died later of their injuries, the source who requested anonymity said. "There were civilians among the dead and injured," Mansouri said, adding that no one has yet claimed responsibility. A suicide attack which injured three people on March 9 south of Ajdabiya was claimed by the Islamic State group. Despite the loss of its Sirte bastion in northern Libya in December 2016, IS remains active in the center and south of the country. The oil-rich North African country has been wracked by chaos since a 2011 uprising that toppled and killed long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Two authorities -- the Tripoli-based unity government and a rival administration in the east -- are vying for control of Libya. Haftar, who opposes a UN-backed unity government based in Tripoli, announced the "liberation" of the eastern city of Benghazi last July after a three-year campaign.

8 killed in suicide attack in eastern Libya: Security officer

International charity ships and Libya&#39;s coastguard and picked up several hundred migrants on Saturday as smugglers trying to take advantage of calm seas launched a flurry of boats towards Italy.

Libyan coastguard vessels intercepted three migrant boats, the first an inflatable dinghy that had broken down with 125 people on board off Zawiya, just west of the capital, Tripoli, said Ayoub Qassem, a coastguard spokesman.

The second boat was turned back off Garabulli, east of Tripoli, and had 112 people on board, while a third boat with 98 migrants on board was intercepted off Abu Kamash, near Libya&#39;s border with Tunisia.

One boat with more than 100 migrants on board made it as far as the Aquarius rescue ship about 21 miles from the coast to the west of Tripoli. The ship was preparing to transfer the migrants to Italy.

Rescuers on board the Aquarius said the migrant boat was on the verge of completely sinking when it reached them. More than half the migrants on it were Nigerians, with the rest from other sub-Saharan African countries as well as two Palestinians.

&quot;All but one of the five balloons holding the boat up was either completely deflated or deflating and there were still about 120 people inside the boat, so a very, very precarious condition,&quot; said one of the rescuers, Max Avis.&nbsp;

One of the Palestinians was thrown into the water by other migrants after trying to convince them that they would be better off being saved by a nearby Libyan coastguard boat than drowning, rescuers said.

Libya is the main departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea. More than 600,000 migrants have crossed the central Mediterranean to Italy over the past four years as people smugglers took advantage of a security vacuum in Libya. Thousands more perished at sea.

Since last summer the rate of departures dropped sharply after smugglers in the Libyan town of Sabratha struck a deal with the Tripoli government to halt their activities and were then pushed from the town by rival armed groups.

Libya&#39;s EU-backed coastguard has also stepped up interceptions, often cutting migrant boats off before they can reach international vessels that would bring them to Europe.

Two other groups of migrants were transferred to the Aquarius late on Saturday, including 62 who had been picked up by a merchant ship in offshore oil fields and 106 others from another charity vessel.

Meanwhile, the coastguard in Zuwara, a former Libyan smuggling hub west of Zawiya, said they had foiled a departure during the night and arrested some migrants whilst others had escaped with smugglers.

The coastguard posted pictures of detained sub-Saharan African migrants sitting in an inflatable rubber boat on the beach in the dark. 
&nbsp;

Libya is the main departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea

International charity ships and Libya's coastguard and picked up several hundred migrants on Saturday as smugglers trying to take advantage of calm seas launched a flurry of boats towards Italy. Libyan coastguard vessels intercepted three migrant boats, the first an inflatable dinghy that had broken down with 125 people on board off Zawiya, just west of the capital, Tripoli, said Ayoub Qassem, a coastguard spokesman. The second boat was turned back off Garabulli, east of Tripoli, and had 112 people on board, while a third boat with 98 migrants on board was intercepted off Abu Kamash, near Libya's border with Tunisia. One boat with more than 100 migrants on board made it as far as the Aquarius rescue ship about 21 miles from the coast to the west of Tripoli. The ship was preparing to transfer the migrants to Italy. Rescuers on board the Aquarius said the migrant boat was on the verge of completely sinking when it reached them. More than half the migrants on it were Nigerians, with the rest from other sub-Saharan African countries as well as two Palestinians. "All but one of the five balloons holding the boat up was either completely deflated or deflating and there were still about 120 people inside the boat, so a very, very precarious condition," said one of the rescuers, Max Avis. One of the Palestinians was thrown into the water by other migrants after trying to convince them that they would be better off being saved by a nearby Libyan coastguard boat than drowning, rescuers said. Libya is the main departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea. More than 600,000 migrants have crossed the central Mediterranean to Italy over the past four years as people smugglers took advantage of a security vacuum in Libya. Thousands more perished at sea. Since last summer the rate of departures dropped sharply after smugglers in the Libyan town of Sabratha struck a deal with the Tripoli government to halt their activities and were then pushed from the town by rival armed groups. Libya's EU-backed coastguard has also stepped up interceptions, often cutting migrant boats off before they can reach international vessels that would bring them to Europe. Two other groups of migrants were transferred to the Aquarius late on Saturday, including 62 who had been picked up by a merchant ship in offshore oil fields and 106 others from another charity vessel. Meanwhile, the coastguard in Zuwara, a former Libyan smuggling hub west of Zawiya, said they had foiled a departure during the night and arrested some migrants whilst others had escaped with smugglers. The coastguard posted pictures of detained sub-Saharan African migrants sitting in an inflatable rubber boat on the beach in the dark.

Hundreds of migrants picked up between Libya and Italy

According to reports, close to $10 billion from frozen Libyan funds was reported missing by the Belgian authorities. The funds were controlled by the inner circle of former Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi.

Over $16 billion was held in four separate accounts in the Euroclear bank. The accounts were opened for the Libyan Investment Authority and Libyan Foreign Investment Company. Later, an investigation into money laundering sought to seize the assets.

According to the Belgian authorities, a significant chunk of these funds was found to have disappeared in the fall of 2017 and that just over $5 billion dollars remained in the four accounts.

The investigation, into billions of Gaddafi assets held in Belgium, discovered regular outflows of stock dividends, bond income, and interest payments. Legal documents, bank statements, emails and dozens of interviews point at loopholes in the sanctions regime.

Belgium&#39;s Ministry of Finance quipped that the country did not order to unfreeze the assets.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)

Over $16 billion was held in four separate accounts in the Euroclear bank

According to reports, close to $10 billion from frozen Libyan funds was reported missing by the Belgian authorities. The funds were controlled by the inner circle of former Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi. Over $16 billion was held in four separate accounts in the Euroclear bank. The accounts were opened for the Libyan Investment Authority and Libyan Foreign Investment Company. Later, an investigation into money laundering sought to seize the assets. According to the Belgian authorities, a significant chunk of these funds was found to have disappeared in the fall of 2017 and that just over $5 billion dollars remained in the four accounts. The investigation, into billions of Gaddafi assets held in Belgium, discovered regular outflows of stock dividends, bond income, and interest payments. Legal documents, bank statements, emails and dozens of interviews point at loopholes in the sanctions regime. Belgium's Ministry of Finance quipped that the country did not order to unfreeze the assets. (With inputs from ANI)

Over $10 billion missing from seized Gaddafi funds

The toll from a twin car bombing in Libya&#39;s eastern city of Benghazi rose to 35 on Wednesday, with about 60 people wounded, medical officials said.

The first blast on Tuesday evening hit worshippers leaving a mosque in Benghazi&#39;s central Al Salmani district. The second, about 15 minutes later, inflicted a large number of casualties among people who had gathered at the scene.

Senior security officials were among the casualties.

Local health official Hani Belras Ali said on Wednesday that 47 people were also wounded in the Tuesday night attack in the Salmani neighborhood.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The United Nations has condemned the bombings, saying that direct or indiscriminate attacks on civilians are prohibited under international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes.

The toll was one of the highest from a single attack since Libya slid into turmoil after the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Benghazi is controlled by the Libyan National Army (LNA), which is led by powerful eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar and was battling Islamists and other opponents in the port city until late last year.

The first blast on Tuesday evening hit worshippers leaving a mosque in Benghazi's central Al Salmani district. The second, about 15 minutes later, inflicted a large number of casualties among people who had gathered at the scene

The toll from a twin car bombing in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi rose to 35 on Wednesday, with about 60 people wounded, medical officials said. The first blast on Tuesday evening hit worshippers leaving a mosque in Benghazi's central Al Salmani district. The second, about 15 minutes later, inflicted a large number of casualties among people who had gathered at the scene. Senior security officials were among the casualties. Local health official Hani Belras Ali said on Wednesday that 47 people were also wounded in the Tuesday night attack in the Salmani neighborhood. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. The United Nations has condemned the bombings, saying that direct or indiscriminate attacks on civilians are prohibited under international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes. The toll was one of the highest from a single attack since Libya slid into turmoil after the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Benghazi is controlled by the Libyan National Army (LNA), which is led by powerful eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar and was battling Islamists and other opponents in the port city until late last year.

Death toll rises to 35 dead in Benghazi car bombing

The United Nations Libya mission said it was alarmed by reports of &quot;brutal and outrageous summary executions&quot; in the eastern city of Benghazi on Wednesday after pictures emerged appearing to show at least nine people were shot dead at the site of a twin car bombing.

The UN&nbsp;Libya mission, UNSMIL, suggested in a tweet that the gunman was Mahmoud al-Werfalli, a special forces commander wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly carrying out a number of similar killings.

&quot;(The UN) demands the handing over of Mahmoud al-Werfalli immediately to (the ICC) as it documented at least 5 similar cases, in 2017 alone, carried out or ordered by al-Werfalli,&quot; UNSMIL said on its Twitter account.

&quot;Those responsible for committing or ordering summary executions are criminally liable under international law.&quot;

Reuters could not independently confirm the gunman&#39;s identity.

The photos, which were posted on social media and in local media, appear to show executions in front of Benghazi&#39;s Bayaat al-Radwan mosque, where a twin car bombing on Tuesday left at least 35 people dead.

One of the pictures shows a gunman dressed in military camouflage, pointing a weapon at the head of the first of a row of blindfolded men kneeling in blue jumpsuits in front of damaged mosque gates.

Another photo shows all but three of the people slumped forward on the road as the gunman makes his way along the line. It was unclear who the men were.

Al-Werfalli is from an elite unit attached to Khalifa Haftar&#39;s Libyan National Army (LNA), which controls Benghazi and battled Islamists and other opponents in the city until late last year.

After the ICC said it was seeking al-Werfalli&#39;s arrest in August, the LNA announced that it was investigating him and had detained him, though his whereabouts were unclear. The special forces dismissed the ICC warrant.

A spokesman for the LNA could not immediately be reached for comment on the pictures.

The pictures were posted as UN&nbsp;Libya envoy Ghassan Salame visited Benghazi on Wednesday, meeting Haftar at a military compound near the city and expressing condemnation of the car bombing.

Haftar, a divisive figure in Libya, has increasingly been courted by the international community as he has gained power on the ground. He is considered a likely candidate in elections that the U.N. has said it hopes can be organised by the end of 2018.

'Those responsible for committing or ordering summary executions are criminally liable under international law,' UN Libya mission

The United Nations Libya mission said it was alarmed by reports of "brutal and outrageous summary executions" in the eastern city of Benghazi on Wednesday after pictures emerged appearing to show at least nine people were shot dead at the site of a twin car bombing. The UN Libya mission, UNSMIL, suggested in a tweet that the gunman was Mahmoud al-Werfalli, a special forces commander wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly carrying out a number of similar killings. "(The UN) demands the handing over of Mahmoud al-Werfalli immediately to (the ICC) as it documented at least 5 similar cases, in 2017 alone, carried out or ordered by al-Werfalli," UNSMIL said on its Twitter account. "Those responsible for committing or ordering summary executions are criminally liable under international law." Reuters could not independently confirm the gunman's identity. The photos, which were posted on social media and in local media, appear to show executions in front of Benghazi's Bayaat al-Radwan mosque, where a twin car bombing on Tuesday left at least 35 people dead. One of the pictures shows a gunman dressed in military camouflage, pointing a weapon at the head of the first of a row of blindfolded men kneeling in blue jumpsuits in front of damaged mosque gates. Another photo shows all but three of the people slumped forward on the road as the gunman makes his way along the line. It was unclear who the men were. Al-Werfalli is from an elite unit attached to Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), which controls Benghazi and battled Islamists and other opponents in the city until late last year. After the ICC said it was seeking al-Werfalli's arrest in August, the LNA announced that it was investigating him and had detained him, though his whereabouts were unclear. The special forces dismissed the ICC warrant. A spokesman for the LNA could not immediately be reached for comment on the pictures. The pictures were posted as UN Libya envoy Ghassan Salame visited Benghazi on Wednesday, meeting Haftar at a military compound near the city and expressing condemnation of the car bombing. Haftar, a divisive figure in Libya, has increasingly been courted by the international community as he has gained power on the ground. He is considered a likely candidate in elections that the U.N. has said it hopes can be organised by the end of 2018.

UN alarmed at reports of summary executions in Libya's Benghazi

A few days back, I was talking to one of the Pakistan Defence Experts on the panel of a renowned news channel over the issue of ceasefire violation at Line of Control. The Indian panelists were in anguish over the recent killings but, surprisingly, the Pakistani panelist who was a retired Lieutenant General mentioned repeatedly in his statement that Pakistan is nuclear capable and any adventure from Indian side will be answered by a nuclear missile.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Before we become a victim to these lies and deceits, we must understand the reality of Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear programme.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

As per the statement of AQ Khan to Newsweek on 16 May 2011, Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear programme started as a countermeasure of India&rsquo;s first nuclear test in 1974 but he is wrong. If we go back to study the nuclear program of Pakistan, we must start with their humiliating defeat in 1971. Then PM Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto said that Pakistanis will have to make a nuclear bomb even if they have to eat grass.&nbsp; The entire blueprint of Project 706 or the Kahuta Research Laboratory (KRL) was ready as early as 1973 and the project actually kicked off in 1974. This was the start of a dirty mess created by Pakistan which is still haunting the world.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

To me the actual father of Pakistani Nuclear program was not AQ Khan, it was Dr Munir Ahmed Khan of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC).&nbsp; Munir was a true genius and fathered Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear weapon programme using Plutonium. AQ Khan, who started Project 706, had the sole objective to develop Pakistan&rsquo;s own nuclear bomb using Uranium as fuel. And, finally, all the devices of Pakistan&rsquo;s Nuclear arsenal were Uranium based only.

&nbsp;

Technically speaking, any nuclear fission device has two major parts. The Device consists of many parts, such as mechanical, electrical, electronic and the detonation mechanism in the body of the bomb is the first part, and the nuclear fuel is the second part. While the first part is not very difficult to obtain, Pakistan could create it easily in 1974 itself. The second part which is the nuclear fuel was the factor which delayed Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear programme for another 10 years and they could be ready with their first device in 1984 only.

&nbsp;

To understand Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear programme and the role of AQ Khan in this, we must understand the concept of nuclear fuel. Uranium has several isotopes and the main fissile isotope which acts towards the generation of energy or creation of nuclear bomb is Uranium-235 which is only .5% to .7% in the naturally obtained Uranium. The energy grade uranium has 4-6% of U-235 while in the weapon-grade uranium, the concentration should be more than 90% and that was the main concern for Pakistan.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The equipment required to make weapon-grade uranium is an ultra-high-speed gas centrifuge and the technology was not available with Pakistan. The centrifuge is required to spin the gaseous form of Uranium Hexafluoride at more than 100,000 RPM to generate fissile material. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

This was the time when AQ Khan played a vital role. Though he was a nuclear scientist, he was working as a translator in URENCO at Belgium and Netherlands. He approached the Pakistan Government and asked to help them in making the bomb. As per Mr Kuldeep Nayyar, the Pakistan Government was not aware of him and, thus, the ISI was made to run a full background check on him.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Ironically, the ISI declared him incompetent for any nuclear weapon development but still he made his forays in the government set up through his connects in the PAEC and successfully arranged a meeting with Mr Bhutto. Somehow, he was successful in convincing the top leadership and AQ Khan was given the charge of Kahuta Research laboratory after he returned to Pakistan from the Netherlands.

&nbsp;

Khan knew the importance of Pakistan army in the political scenario; he had seen many coups. Hence, to secure his project from any political disturbance, he made this project separated from PAEC and ran it in close connection with the Pakistan Army.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Over the next few years, he established administrative setups at various shell companies in Dubai and the Middle East to route the centrifuge technology. The designs, calculations and blueprints of these centrifuges were stolen by AQ Khan from URENCO and transferred to Pakistan through different international routes. Unconfirmed reports say that certain Middle Eastern Islamic countries also helped him in this on the pretext of having a dedicated Islamic Bomb.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

By 1980, Pakistan had developed some prototype centrifuges for uranium enrichment which were called as PakSat-1. They developed the centrifuges further and by 1984 could have enough fissile material required for their first bomb.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

I would like to mention here that there were two organisations working in Pakistan towards the development of a nuclear bomb. One was KRL under the Pak Army and AQ Khan which was making a Uranium-based bomb; the other was PAEC itself which continued its 1972 program of the Plutonium-based bomb and established its facilities in Khushab, Jorarabad. By late nineties, Pakistan had the design and capability to produce its Plutonium based device too, however, all the existing devices with Pakistan are Uranium-based and the Plutonium-based device was limited to experiments only.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The bomb was in the making and Pakistan needed the missile technology to drive this project too. Its ally and friend America refused to give any technology to Pakistan on the pretext that it could fall into the wrong hands and the eyes moved to their other friends- China and North Korea.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Under Kim-Jong-Il, North Korea was successful in making its missiles with the help of China and was desperately looking for someone who could help them achieve their mission. When Pak PM Benazir Bhutto visited Pyongyang in 1990, certain secret agreements were signed between both the countries and some classified information about the designs of device and centrifuges was shared with North Korea in 1993 in exchange of missile technology. This missile technology formed the base of most of the missiles of Pakistan which surprisingly resemble North Korean missiles.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It was not only North Korea but Iran too. When in 2003, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspected Iran and found a large uranium enrichment facility, Iranian government revealed that the centrifuges were obtained from a foreign intermediary through URENCO but surprisingly the design was exactly same as PakSat-1 centrifuge which was invented by Pakistan. Some of the Pakistani centrifuges which were transferred to Iran in 1989 were also recovered.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Pakistan was expanding his black market for other countries too and the key person in this was AQ Khan who was working closely with every government and military chief of Pakistan. In 2003 itself IAEA decided to dismantle Libya&rsquo;s nuclear program and to their surprise, they found Pakistani PakSat-1 centrifuges in one of the Libyan uranium enrichment facility. Libyan government openly accepted that they bought this technology from the black market and the supplier was Pakistan. Imagine had that dismantling not been done, the nuclear bomb would have gone into the hands of Islamic terrorists by now as entire Libya is facing turmoils of war with ISIS.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The cost paid for these materials to Pakistan by North Korea, Iran or Libya were not known. It was also not known if Pak government had sold these designs to any other country too. However, as per rough estimates, the payments went into billions of US Dollars which were reportedly used by Pakistan in spreading terror network in Indian and Afghanistan.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In 2004, Pakistan government dismissed AQ Khan and initiated an inquiry against him and, ironically, his military connects saved him when Parvez Musharraf took over the country and issued him a presidential pardon. The Pak government said that AQ Khan ran this nuclear black market purely on his own. However, the fact is that he was awarded the highest civilian decoration of Pakistan- &ldquo;Nishan-E-Imtiyaz&rdquo; twice in 1996 and 1999 which proves the undeterred support of Pakistani government to him.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Pakistan's nuclear black market extended through N.Korea, Libya, Iran

A few days back, I was talking to one of the Pakistan Defence Experts on the panel of a renowned news channel over the issue of ceasefire violation at Line of Control. The Indian panelists were in anguish over the recent killings but, surprisingly, the Pakistani panelist who was a retired Lieutenant General mentioned repeatedly in his statement that Pakistan is nuclear capable and any adventure from Indian side will be answered by a nuclear missile. Before we become a victim to these lies and deceits, we must understand the reality of Pakistan’s nuclear programme. As per the statement of AQ Khan to Newsweek on 16 May 2011, Pakistan’s nuclear programme started as a countermeasure of India’s first nuclear test in 1974 but he is wrong. If we go back to study the nuclear program of Pakistan, we must start with their humiliating defeat in 1971. Then PM Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto said that Pakistanis will have to make a nuclear bomb even if they have to eat grass. The entire blueprint of Project 706 or the Kahuta Research Laboratory (KRL) was ready as early as 1973 and the project actually kicked off in 1974. This was the start of a dirty mess created by Pakistan which is still haunting the world. To me the actual father of Pakistani Nuclear program was not AQ Khan, it was Dr Munir Ahmed Khan of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). Munir was a true genius and fathered Pakistan’s nuclear weapon programme using Plutonium. AQ Khan, who started Project 706, had the sole objective to develop Pakistan’s own nuclear bomb using Uranium as fuel. And, finally, all the devices of Pakistan’s Nuclear arsenal were Uranium based only. Technically speaking, any nuclear fission device has two major parts. The Device consists of many parts, such as mechanical, electrical, electronic and the detonation mechanism in the body of the bomb is the first part, and the nuclear fuel is the second part. While the first part is not very difficult to obtain, Pakistan could create it easily in 1974 itself. The second part which is the nuclear fuel was the factor which delayed Pakistan’s nuclear programme for another 10 years and they could be ready with their first device in 1984 only. To understand Pakistan’s nuclear programme and the role of AQ Khan in this, we must understand the concept of nuclear fuel. Uranium has several isotopes and the main fissile isotope which acts towards the generation of energy or creation of nuclear bomb is Uranium-235 which is only .5% to .7% in the naturally obtained Uranium. The energy grade uranium has 4-6% of U-235 while in the weapon-grade uranium, the concentration should be more than 90% and that was the main concern for Pakistan. The equipment required to make weapon-grade uranium is an ultra-high-speed gas centrifuge and the technology was not available with Pakistan. The centrifuge is required to spin the gaseous form of Uranium Hexafluoride at more than 100,000 RPM to generate fissile material. This was the time when AQ Khan played a vital role. Though he was a nuclear scientist, he was working as a translator in URENCO at Belgium and Netherlands. He approached the Pakistan Government and asked to help them in making the bomb. As per Mr Kuldeep Nayyar, the Pakistan Government was not aware of him and, thus, the ISI was made to run a full background check on him. Ironically, the ISI declared him incompetent for any nuclear weapon development but still he made his forays in the government set up through his connects in the PAEC and successfully arranged a meeting with Mr Bhutto. Somehow, he was successful in convincing the top leadership and AQ Khan was given the charge of Kahuta Research laboratory after he returned to Pakistan from the Netherlands. Khan knew the importance of Pakistan army in the political scenario; he had seen many coups. Hence, to secure his project from any political disturbance, he made this project separated from PAEC and ran it in close connection with the Pakistan Army. Over the next few years, he established administrative setups at various shell companies in Dubai and the Middle East to route the centrifuge technology. The designs, calculations and blueprints of these centrifuges were stolen by AQ Khan from URENCO and transferred to Pakistan through different international routes. Unconfirmed reports say that certain Middle Eastern Islamic countries also helped him in this on the pretext of having a dedicated Islamic Bomb. By 1980, Pakistan had developed some prototype centrifuges for uranium enrichment which were called as PakSat-1. They developed the centrifuges further and by 1984 could have enough fissile material required for their first bomb. I would like to mention here that there were two organisations working in Pakistan towards the development of a nuclear bomb. One was KRL under the Pak Army and AQ Khan which was making a Uranium-based bomb; the other was PAEC itself which continued its 1972 program of the Plutonium-based bomb and established its facilities in Khushab, Jorarabad. By late nineties, Pakistan had the design and capability to produce its Plutonium based device too, however, all the existing devices with Pakistan are Uranium-based and the Plutonium-based device was limited to experiments only. The bomb was in the making and Pakistan needed the missile technology to drive this project too. Its ally and friend America refused to give any technology to Pakistan on the pretext that it could fall into the wrong hands and the eyes moved to their other friends- China and North Korea. Under Kim-Jong-Il, North Korea was successful in making its missiles with the help of China and was desperately looking for someone who could help them achieve their mission. When Pak PM Benazir Bhutto visited Pyongyang in 1990, certain secret agreements were signed between both the countries and some classified information about the designs of device and centrifuges was shared with North Korea in 1993 in exchange of missile technology. This missile technology formed the base of most of the missiles of Pakistan which surprisingly resemble North Korean missiles. It was not only North Korea but Iran too. When in 2003, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspected Iran and found a large uranium enrichment facility, Iranian government revealed that the centrifuges were obtained from a foreign intermediary through URENCO but surprisingly the design was exactly same as PakSat-1 centrifuge which was invented by Pakistan. Some of the Pakistani centrifuges which were transferred to Iran in 1989 were also recovered. Pakistan was expanding his black market for other countries too and the key person in this was AQ Khan who was working closely with every government and military chief of Pakistan. In 2003 itself IAEA decided to dismantle Libya’s nuclear program and to their surprise, they found Pakistani PakSat-1 centrifuges in one of the Libyan uranium enrichment facility. Libyan government openly accepted that they bought this technology from the black market and the supplier was Pakistan. Imagine had that dismantling not been done, the nuclear bomb would have gone into the hands of Islamic terrorists by now as entire Libya is facing turmoils of war with ISIS. The cost paid for these materials to Pakistan by North Korea, Iran or Libya were not known. It was also not known if Pak government had sold these designs to any other country too. However, as per rough estimates, the payments went into billions of US Dollars which were reportedly used by Pakistan in spreading terror network in Indian and Afghanistan. In 2004, Pakistan government dismissed AQ Khan and initiated an inquiry against him and, ironically, his military connects saved him when Parvez Musharraf took over the country and issued him a presidential pardon. The Pak government said that AQ Khan ran this nuclear black market purely on his own. However, the fact is that he was awarded the highest civilian decoration of Pakistan- “Nishan-E-Imtiyaz” twice in 1996 and 1999 which proves the undeterred support of Pakistani government to him. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Pakistan's nuclear black market endangers the world

At least two people have been killed and over 55 have been wounded in a deadly attack&nbsp;at a mosque in Libya&#39;s eastern city of Benghazi on Friday, according to local media.

Mutaz al-Mu&#39;tri, Benghazi&#39;s security directorate spokesperson, said two bomb bags had been used in the attack at the Abu Huraira Mosque in Benghazi&rsquo;s Majuri area.

Friday&#39;s explosions occurred during prayers at the mosque, residents said. The devices, placed in bags at the mosque doors, appear to have been activated remotely using a mobile phone, a military source said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Further details are awaited.

Two weeks ago about 35 people died in another twin bombing at a mosque in Benghazi, the second-largest city in the country.&nbsp;

That attack, which took place outside the Bait Radwan mosque on January 23, left more than 50 others wounded, including a number of senior security officials.

Benghazi is controlled by the Libyan National Army (LNA), the dominant force in eastern Libya led by commander Khalifa Haftar.

The LNA was battling Islamists, including some linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda, as well as other opponents until late last year in the Mediterranean port city.

In past months there have been occasional, smaller scale bombings apparently targeting LNA allies or supporters.

Mutaz al-Mu'tri, Benghazi's security directorate spokesperson, said two bomb bags had been used in the attack at the Abu Huraira Mosque in Benghazi’s Majuri area

At least two people have been killed and over 55 have been wounded in a deadly attack at a mosque in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi on Friday, according to local media. Mutaz al-Mu'tri, Benghazi's security directorate spokesperson, said two bomb bags had been used in the attack at the Abu Huraira Mosque in Benghazi’s Majuri area. Friday's explosions occurred during prayers at the mosque, residents said. The devices, placed in bags at the mosque doors, appear to have been activated remotely using a mobile phone, a military source said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Further details are awaited. Two weeks ago about 35 people died in another twin bombing at a mosque in Benghazi, the second-largest city in the country. That attack, which took place outside the Bait Radwan mosque on January 23, left more than 50 others wounded, including a number of senior security officials. Benghazi is controlled by the Libyan National Army (LNA), the dominant force in eastern Libya led by commander Khalifa Haftar. The LNA was battling Islamists, including some linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda, as well as other opponents until late last year in the Mediterranean port city. In past months there have been occasional, smaller scale bombings apparently targeting LNA allies or supporters.

2 killed, 55 injured in mosque attack in Libya

At least 32 Pakistani nationals were aboard the ship that had recently capsized off the coast of Libya, Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Office said on Sunday.

&quot;There were 32 Pakistanis among 80 to 90 people aboard the boat,&quot; Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said in a statement.

On Saturday, Faisal confirmed that 16 Pakistani nationals, out of the 90 people had died in the shipwreck.

&quot;Efforts are being made to bring bodies of deceased Pakistani citizens, for which funds have been provided to the embassy,&quot; Faisal maintained.

The tragedy happened off the coast of Zuwara in the early hours of Friday, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) spokeswoman Olivia Headon told reporters in Geneva.

&ldquo;At least 90 migrants are reported to have drowned, when a boat capsized off the coast of Libya this morning,&rdquo; the IOM said in a statement.

Two people survived the tragedy while another person was rescued by a fishing boat.

&quot;10 bodies are reported to have washed up on Libyan shores,&quot; the statement added.

On Saturday, Faisal confirmed that 16 Pakistani nationals, out of the 90 people had died in the shipwreck

At least 32 Pakistani nationals were aboard the ship that had recently capsized off the coast of Libya, Pakistan's Foreign Office said on Sunday. "There were 32 Pakistanis among 80 to 90 people aboard the boat," Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said in a statement. On Saturday, Faisal confirmed that 16 Pakistani nationals, out of the 90 people had died in the shipwreck. "Efforts are being made to bring bodies of deceased Pakistani citizens, for which funds have been provided to the embassy," Faisal maintained. The tragedy happened off the coast of Zuwara in the early hours of Friday, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) spokeswoman Olivia Headon told reporters in Geneva. “At least 90 migrants are reported to have drowned, when a boat capsized off the coast of Libya this morning,” the IOM said in a statement. Two people survived the tragedy while another person was rescued by a fishing boat. "10 bodies are reported to have washed up on Libyan shores," the statement added.

32 Pakistan nationals among 90 migrants feared dead in boat capsize off Libya

A UN agency said at least 90 people are feared dead in boat capsize in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya.

&quot;At least 90 migrants are reported to have drowned, when a boat capsized off the coast of Libya this morning&quot;, the International Organization for Migration said in a statement.&nbsp;

Two people survived the tragedy while another person was rescued by a fishing boat.

&quot;10 bodies are reported to have washed up on Libyan shores,&quot; the statement added.

Two people survived the tragedy while another person was rescued by a fishing boat.

A UN agency said at least 90 people are feared dead in boat capsize in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya. "At least 90 migrants are reported to have drowned, when a boat capsized off the coast of Libya this morning", the International Organization for Migration said in a statement. Two people survived the tragedy while another person was rescued by a fishing boat. "10 bodies are reported to have washed up on Libyan shores," the statement added.

90 migrants feared dead in boat capsize off Libya: UN

A militant group attacked Tripoli&#39;s Mitiga International Airport on Monday with heavy weapons leaving 20 dead and about 60 injured, local media reported.&nbsp;

The Libyan Health Ministry of the Tripoli-based government confirmed the number on their Facebook page and informed that the massive fighting erupted on Monday morning.&nbsp;

The airport had come under attack when the government forces had clashed with rival forces, loyal to &#39;salvation government&#39; after the latter made a bid to capture the airport.

Clashes took place between Brigade 33 led by Basheer Al-Bugra and the Special Deterrence Force that is operating the Mitiga Airport, media reports said.&nbsp;

&quot;The criminal militia known as Bashir al-Baqarah and all the criminals wanted by the Deterrent Force attacked the International Airport after escaping (jail) and joining the militia,&quot; the Special Deterrent Force (SDF) in charge of securing the airport said in a statement on its official Facebook page.

&quot;The attackers are being dealt with until they are defeated and expelled from the Mitiga airport and the prison, where more than 2,500 inmates are detained on various charges&quot;, added the SDF.

During the clash, two aeroplanes&nbsp;of Afriqiyah Airways were heavily damaged and security of the airport said over 9 planes were moved to the Tripoli International Airport for safety reasons, reports stated.&nbsp;

The operations at the airport have been shut down at present.&nbsp;

Libya has been plagued with insecurity, violence and political chaos, since the fall of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi&#39;s regime in 2011 in a coup.

The airport had come under attack when the government forces had clashed with rival forces, loyal to 'salvation government', after the latter made a bid to capture the airport

A militant group attacked Tripoli's Mitiga International Airport on Monday with heavy weapons leaving 20 dead and about 60 injured, local media reported. The Libyan Health Ministry of the Tripoli-based government confirmed the number on their Facebook page and informed that the massive fighting erupted on Monday morning. The airport had come under attack when the government forces had clashed with rival forces, loyal to 'salvation government' after the latter made a bid to capture the airport. Clashes took place between Brigade 33 led by Basheer Al-Bugra and the Special Deterrence Force that is operating the Mitiga Airport, media reports said. "The criminal militia known as Bashir al-Baqarah and all the criminals wanted by the Deterrent Force attacked the International Airport after escaping (jail) and joining the militia," the Special Deterrent Force (SDF) in charge of securing the airport said in a statement on its official Facebook page. "The attackers are being dealt with until they are defeated and expelled from the Mitiga airport and the prison, where more than 2,500 inmates are detained on various charges", added the SDF. During the clash, two aeroplanes of Afriqiyah Airways were heavily damaged and security of the airport said over 9 planes were moved to the Tripoli International Airport for safety reasons, reports stated. The operations at the airport have been shut down at present. Libya has been plagued with insecurity, violence and political chaos, since the fall of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011 in a coup.

Tripoli airport clash leaves 20 dead, 60 injured

Oil prices on Wednesday slipped away from two-and-a-half year highs hit the previous session as the gradual resumption of flows through a major North Sea pipeline made up for supply disruption in Libya.

But the two outages in quick succession have highlighted how much tighter global oil markets have become a year into supply cuts led by OPEC and Russia.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $59.73 a barrel at 0421 GMT, down 24 cents from their last settlement. WTI broke through $60 a barrel for the first time since June 2015 in the previous session.

Brent crude futures were at $66.71 a barrel, down 31 cents after breaking through $67 for the first time since May 2015 the previous day.

&quot;Crude spiked sharply in reaction to an explosion at a Libyan pipeline...(but) the price spike came with light volumes as London was closed for Boxing Day,&quot; said Sukrit Vijayakar, director of energy consultancy Trifecta.

Libya lost around 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil supplies from a blast on a pipeline feeding Es Sider port on Tuesday.

Wednesday&#39;s dips were a result of the gradual return of the 450,000 bpd capacity Forties pipeline system in the North Sea. Flows through Forties will return to normal early in the New Year, operator Ineos said.

Both the Forties and Libyan outages, which together amount to around 500,000 bpd, are small in a global context where both production and demand are approaching 100 million bpd.

But the disruptions highlight that markets have tightened significantly a year into voluntary supply restraint led by top producer Russia and the Middle East-dominated Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that following rampant oversupply in 2015, global oil markets gradually came into balance by 2016 and started to show a slight supply deficit this year, resulting in a reduction of global fuel inventories.

EIA data implies a slight supply shortfall of 180,000 bpd for the first quarter of 2018.

OPEC and Russia started withholding production last January, and the current schedule is to continue cutting throughout 2018.

A major factor countering efforts by OPEC and Russia efforts to prop up prices is US oil production, which has soared more than 16 percent since mid-2016 and is fast approaching 10 million bpd.

Only OPEC king-pin Saudi Arabia and Russia produce more.

The latest US production figures are due to be published by the EIA on Thursday.

Wednesday's dips were a result of the gradual return of the 450,000 bpd capacity Forties pipeline system in the North Sea.

Oil prices on Wednesday slipped away from two-and-a-half year highs hit the previous session as the gradual resumption of flows through a major North Sea pipeline made up for supply disruption in Libya. But the two outages in quick succession have highlighted how much tighter global oil markets have become a year into supply cuts led by OPEC and Russia. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $59.73 a barrel at 0421 GMT, down 24 cents from their last settlement. WTI broke through $60 a barrel for the first time since June 2015 in the previous session. Brent crude futures were at $66.71 a barrel, down 31 cents after breaking through $67 for the first time since May 2015 the previous day. "Crude spiked sharply in reaction to an explosion at a Libyan pipeline...(but) the price spike came with light volumes as London was closed for Boxing Day," said Sukrit Vijayakar, director of energy consultancy Trifecta. Libya lost around 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil supplies from a blast on a pipeline feeding Es Sider port on Tuesday. Wednesday's dips were a result of the gradual return of the 450,000 bpd capacity Forties pipeline system in the North Sea. Flows through Forties will return to normal early in the New Year, operator Ineos said. Both the Forties and Libyan outages, which together amount to around 500,000 bpd, are small in a global context where both production and demand are approaching 100 million bpd. But the disruptions highlight that markets have tightened significantly a year into voluntary supply restraint led by top producer Russia and the Middle East-dominated Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that following rampant oversupply in 2015, global oil markets gradually came into balance by 2016 and started to show a slight supply deficit this year, resulting in a reduction of global fuel inventories. EIA data implies a slight supply shortfall of 180,000 bpd for the first quarter of 2018. OPEC and Russia started withholding production last January, and the current schedule is to continue cutting throughout 2018. A major factor countering efforts by OPEC and Russia efforts to prop up prices is US oil production, which has soared more than 16 percent since mid-2016 and is fast approaching 10 million bpd. Only OPEC king-pin Saudi Arabia and Russia produce more. The latest US production figures are due to be published by the EIA on Thursday.

Oil prices slip away from 2015 highs, but market remains tight

Two years after a deal to form a unity government aimed at ending deep divisions between Libya&#39;s opposing sides, the country remains mired in crisis with no solution in sight.&nbsp;The UN-brokered agreement signed in Morocco in December 2015 establishing a Government of National Accord (GNA) &nbsp;brought hopes of an easing of chaos that followed the 2011 revolution.

But Libya has remained riven by divisions between the GNA in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and a rival administration backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar in the east.&nbsp;The GNA&#39;s position risks being further undermined by the expiry of its mandate -- which under the 2015 accord was for one year and renewable only once -- on December 17.

Instead of healing rifts, experts say the deal actually deepened tensions in the North African country.&nbsp;&quot;I think it has never been the real solution for the country&quot;, said Federica Saini Fasanotti, an analyst with the Washington-based Brookings Institution.

The agreement &quot;has never been recognised by the Libyan people&quot;, she added.&nbsp;Years of political turmoil have followed the overthrow and killing of Libya&#39;s long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in the 2011 revolution.&nbsp;

People-smugglers took advantage of the chaos to turn the country into a major gateway for migrants heading to Europe, while Islamic State group jihadists also established a foothold.&nbsp;Underscoring the insecurity plaguing the country, the mayor of Libya&#39;s third-largest city Misrata was killed by unidentified assailants who abducted him on Sunday as he returned from an official trip overseas.

&#39;Dangerous turning point&#39;

Since its arrival in Tripoli in March 2016, the GNA has failed to stamp its authority across large parts of the country, controlled by dozens of militias of shifting allegiances.&nbsp;Its legitimacy was questioned from the very start by its rivals and it was unable to secure a confidence vote by Libya&#39;s elected parliament based in the east of the country.

Haftar, who has never recognised the GNA&#39;s authority, said on Sunday that the &quot;expiry of the Libyan political accord&quot; on December 17 marked a &quot;historic and dangerous turning point&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;All bodies resulting from this agreement automatically lose their legitimacy, which has been contested from the first day they took office&quot;, he said.

Saini Fasanotti, however, does not see major repercussions from the end of the GNA&#39;s mandate.&nbsp;&quot;The GNA, in my opinion, has never been a real political actor in Libya, so I do not think that the situation will change a lot at the moment in the Libya arena&quot;, she said.

Haftar is accused by his opponents of wanting to take power and establish a military dictatorship.&nbsp;Haftar wanted to take advantage of the end of the mandate of the unity government to stage &quot;a coup&quot;, a GNA official who did not want to be named told AFP.

&quot;But threats that were directly addressed to him by the international community dissuaded him&quot;, the official added.&nbsp;Haftar acknowledged as much on Sunday, saying he was &quot;threatened with firm international measures&quot; if he dared to take initiatives outside the framework set up by the international community and the United Nations.

The UN Security Council last week insisted the 2015 deal remains the &quot;only viable framework to end the Libyan political crisis&quot; and prepare for elections.

&#39;Double edge weapon&#39;

According to Issandr El Amrani at the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank, Haftar does not have &quot;sufficient strength or support&quot; to take power in Libya.&nbsp;&quot;He faces particularly strong opposition from (rivals in) the west, he said, especially in Misrata&quot;, 200 kilometers east of Tripoli and home to Libya&#39;s most powerful armed groups.

UN envoy Ghassan Salame presented a plan to the UN Security Council in September to hold legislative and presidential elections next year.&nbsp;Analysts are however sceptical the elections will be successful.&nbsp;

&quot;Elections can be a double edge weapon because they can increase the frictions among the competitors and their followers. I am not sure that at this very moment they are the best solution&quot;, Saini Fasanotti said.&nbsp;The ICG&#39;s Amrani believes that &quot;without an improvement in the relationship between Haftar and (groups in) the west, especially Misrata, it will be difficult to hold credible elections&quot;. 
&nbsp;

The UN-brokered agreement signed in Morocco in December 2015 established a Government of National Accord (GNA) but Libya has remained riven by divisions between the GNA in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and a rival administration backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar in the east

Two years after a deal to form a unity government aimed at ending deep divisions between Libya's opposing sides, the country remains mired in crisis with no solution in sight. The UN-brokered agreement signed in Morocco in December 2015 establishing a Government of National Accord (GNA) brought hopes of an easing of chaos that followed the 2011 revolution. But Libya has remained riven by divisions between the GNA in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and a rival administration backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar in the east. The GNA's position risks being further undermined by the expiry of its mandate -- which under the 2015 accord was for one year and renewable only once -- on December 17. Instead of healing rifts, experts say the deal actually deepened tensions in the North African country. "I think it has never been the real solution for the country", said Federica Saini Fasanotti, an analyst with the Washington-based Brookings Institution. The agreement "has never been recognised by the Libyan people", she added. Years of political turmoil have followed the overthrow and killing of Libya's long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in the 2011 revolution. People-smugglers took advantage of the chaos to turn the country into a major gateway for migrants heading to Europe, while Islamic State group jihadists also established a foothold. Underscoring the insecurity plaguing the country, the mayor of Libya's third-largest city Misrata was killed by unidentified assailants who abducted him on Sunday as he returned from an official trip overseas. 'Dangerous turning point' Since its arrival in Tripoli in March 2016, the GNA has failed to stamp its authority across large parts of the country, controlled by dozens of militias of shifting allegiances. Its legitimacy was questioned from the very start by its rivals and it was unable to secure a confidence vote by Libya's elected parliament based in the east of the country. Haftar, who has never recognised the GNA's authority, said on Sunday that the "expiry of the Libyan political accord" on December 17 marked a "historic and dangerous turning point". "All bodies resulting from this agreement automatically lose their legitimacy, which has been contested from the first day they took office", he said. Saini Fasanotti, however, does not see major repercussions from the end of the GNA's mandate. "The GNA, in my opinion, has never been a real political actor in Libya, so I do not think that the situation will change a lot at the moment in the Libya arena", she said. Haftar is accused by his opponents of wanting to take power and establish a military dictatorship. Haftar wanted to take advantage of the end of the mandate of the unity government to stage "a coup", a GNA official who did not want to be named told AFP. "But threats that were directly addressed to him by the international community dissuaded him", the official added. Haftar acknowledged as much on Sunday, saying he was "threatened with firm international measures" if he dared to take initiatives outside the framework set up by the international community and the United Nations. The UN Security Council last week insisted the 2015 deal remains the "only viable framework to end the Libyan political crisis" and prepare for elections. 'Double edge weapon' According to Issandr El Amrani at the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank, Haftar does not have "sufficient strength or support" to take power in Libya. "He faces particularly strong opposition from (rivals in) the west, he said, especially in Misrata", 200 kilometers east of Tripoli and home to Libya's most powerful armed groups. UN envoy Ghassan Salame presented a plan to the UN Security Council in September to hold legislative and presidential elections next year. Analysts are however sceptical the elections will be successful. "Elections can be a double edge weapon because they can increase the frictions among the competitors and their followers. I am not sure that at this very moment they are the best solution", Saini Fasanotti said. The ICG's Amrani believes that "without an improvement in the relationship between Haftar and (groups in) the west, especially Misrata, it will be difficult to hold credible elections".

Libya in grip of chaos two years after unity deal

Libya&#39;s former president Muammar Gaddafi&#39;s second oldest son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, is expected to run for Libya&#39;s presidential elections in 2018 and is likely to announce his plans soon, Daily Mail UK reported.&nbsp;

Saif was&nbsp;released in June this year, six years after former-president Gaddafi&#39;s ouster&nbsp;and death.&nbsp;

Saif was charged with war crimes and imprisoned for five years.

Saif, 45, is also been seen as a potential reformist successor to his father, the one who could probably help in bridging the gap between country&#39;s rival factions and settle the ongoing state of anarchy in the country.

According to Egypt&#39;s online portal, Egypt Today, Saif &quot;enjoys support from some of the prominent tribes in Libya&quot;, a factor that can swing the election results in his favour if he announces his&nbsp;intention to contest the elections that are scheduled&nbsp;for mid-2018 in Libya.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/east-libyan-army-commander-haftar-hints-may-run-in-elections-as-un-backed-government-obsolete-27167">Eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar</a> called the&nbsp;UN-backed government &quot;obsolete&quot; hinting at the probability of contesting the presidential polls.&nbsp;

Haftar&#39;s forces currently control parts of Libya.&nbsp;

Saif was previously charged with war crimes and imprisoned for five years

Libya's former president Muammar Gaddafi's second oldest son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, is expected to run for Libya's presidential elections in 2018 and is likely to announce his plans soon, Daily Mail UK reported. Saif was released in June this year, six years after former-president Gaddafi's ouster and death. Saif was charged with war crimes and imprisoned for five years. Saif, 45, is also been seen as a potential reformist successor to his father, the one who could probably help in bridging the gap between country's rival factions and settle the ongoing state of anarchy in the country. According to Egypt's online portal, Egypt Today, Saif "enjoys support from some of the prominent tribes in Libya", a factor that can swing the election results in his favour if he announces his intention to contest the elections that are scheduled for mid-2018 in Libya. Meanwhile, Eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar called the UN-backed government "obsolete" hinting at the probability of contesting the presidential polls. Haftar's forces currently control parts of Libya.

Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif likely to contest presidential elections: Report

A man called out numbers against the murky darkness of the Libyan night: &ldquo;400, 500, 600, 650.&rdquo; These were bids in Libyan dinars during a slave auction. Video footage of these scenes, aired in mid-November by CNN, thrust concerns about the conditions facing migrants at Europe&rsquo;s borders back into the spotlight.

In response, the EU called for &ldquo;swift action&rdquo;, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, announced a plan to launch &ldquo;concrete military action&rdquo; against the perpetrators. The Nigerian government also said it had begun to bring home some of its citizens stranded in Libya.

Efforts to enable people to escape from situations of slavery, violence and exploitation in Libya are certainly welcome. But they will need to go beyond the short-term perspective that so often accompanies responses to proclamations of crisis. And these new efforts will reek of hypocrisy if they do not also recognise the relationship between existing migration control policies and the vulnerability of migrants using routes into and through Libya.

The story of young men sold as slaves in Libya was the focus of debates at the UN Security Council and topped the agenda at a major summit of European and African leaders. Slavery and other abuses are an &ldquo;abomination&rdquo; that &ldquo;can no longer be ignored&rdquo;, stated Filippo Grandi, the UN&rsquo;s high commissioner for refugees.

But stories of forced labour, exploitation and the buying and selling of migrants are not particularly new. I heard them myself in 2015 when I was part of a research team which carried out interviews with nearly 200 people who had departed from Libya by boat, towards Italy and Malta.

<blockquote>
<q>I was arrested and imprisoned in southern Libya &hellip; I was sold to a slave trader, along with other Eritreans, Somalis and Nigerians. This person took us to a farm, where we could not leave except to go to work at a construction site and return. We were always guarded by armed people.</q>
</blockquote>

These words, from a young Malian man, were mirrored by many others who spoke of being held captive, put into forced work or bought and sold. Some were set free once they had gathered enough ransom money, wired over to them by family and friends. Others might be released when their labour was no longer required or if they managed, somehow, to escape. But it was also not unusual to hear people being beaten and even see others die at the hands of their &ldquo;owners&rdquo;.

Our project has not been the only one to report such findings. In 2016, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) found that 71% of migrants who crossed the central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Europe had experienced exploitation, particularly kidnapping, forced labour, carrying out work without being paid and being kept at locations against their will. In February 2017, a Sky documentary described Libya as &ldquo;hell&rdquo; for migrants and a study of trafficking and smuggling there referred to &ldquo;the extortion economy and new slave trade&rdquo;.

European complicity

Public figures are right to condemn people being sold as slaves in Libya. But their concern has an air of insincerity when they have known about it for years. The EU&rsquo;s high representative for foreign affairs, Federica Mogherini, expressed her &ldquo;total condemnation of these despicable acts&rdquo; but also stated that &ldquo;this is not something that began one month ago. Everybody has known about it for years&rdquo;.

For officials to say now that violence, exploitation and slavery can &ldquo;no longer be ignored&rdquo; belies the fact that these issues were downplayed and pushed aside as the EU pursued collaboration with the Libyan authorities to control migration.

The primary objective of European approaches has instead been to stem the flow of people departing Libya by boat. Since the declaration of a migrant crisis back in 2015, the EU has given increasing amounts of funding and training to the Libyan coastguard and to detention centres to keep migrants on Libyan soil.

In the summer of 2017, an emboldened Libyan coastguard then made threats of violence to international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) engaged in search and rescue missions at sea. Soon after, an armed militia west of Tripoli with backing from the Libyan authorities &ndash; who are themselves supported by Italian and EU authorities &ndash; stepped in to intercept boats and prevent people leaving towards Italy.

These policies to stop boats arriving on European shores have had significant implications for the conditions of migrants in Libya. Many of the people we interviewed told us that they saw boats to Europe as the only way to flee. Now, once they are pushed back to Libya, they are held in detention centres, many of which have been criticised by international observers as overcrowded, unsanitary places where migrants are exploited.

Research reports point to &ldquo;abundant evidence&rdquo; which shows that &ldquo;detention facilities in Libya are the site of sustained criminal activity, as recruitment grounds for smuggling activity but also processing centres for ransom extraction and slavery.&rdquo; Another report by the NGO Refugees International noted how often &ldquo;in Libya, the policeman is a smuggler, and the smuggler is a policeman&rdquo;. Despite this, just a few months ago Macron claimed that Libya could be an appropriate place to process asylum requests.

The containment of migrants in Libya is therefore likely to be reinforcing the very situation that Europe&rsquo;s leaders appear to be so angry about now. M&eacute;decins Sans Fronti&egrave;res described it as &ldquo;feeding the business of suffering&rdquo;.

Moving beyond a crisis

European approaches to migration across the Mediterranean have repeatedly been shaped by urgent attempts to address sudden crises. But the situation in Libya cannot easily be addressed by such a short-term response. People smuggling has been a thriving economic sector for years. The profits from smuggling, exploitation and now slavery provide important funds for different groups around the country. One report describes migrants as &ldquo;simply another commodity to be exploited&rdquo; by the various armed groups vying to control parts of Libyan territory.

An important contribution to finding a longer-term solution could come from a newly announced &ldquo;transit and departure facility&rdquo; in Tripoli providing opportunities for people to escape from Libya. They would be resettled elsewhere, transferred to UNHCR facilities in other countries or returned to their country of origin. But so far there are only 10,500 places available &ndash; far below the number of places required &ndash; and this is little more than the nearly 9,000 returns already carried out by the IOM in 2017.

After a decade of repeatedly declaring migrant crises and emergencies at their borders, it is time the EU took a broader, longer-term approach. This has to recognise the structural relationship between policies of border control, dynamics of migration and patterns of migrant vulnerability and exploitation. Intensifying border controls without addressing the reasons why people move or providing alternatives is likely to reinforce the dangers that they face.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/slave-auctions-in-libya-are-the-latest-evidence-of-a-reality-for-migrants-the-eu-prefers-to-ignore-88589" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Image Credit: EPA

Insincerity and short-termism rule global responses to Libyan migration

A man called out numbers against the murky darkness of the Libyan night: “400, 500, 600, 650.” These were bids in Libyan dinars during a slave auction. Video footage of these scenes, aired in mid-November by CNN, thrust concerns about the conditions facing migrants at Europe’s borders back into the spotlight. In response, the EU called for “swift action”, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, announced a plan to launch “concrete military action” against the perpetrators. The Nigerian government also said it had begun to bring home some of its citizens stranded in Libya. Efforts to enable people to escape from situations of slavery, violence and exploitation in Libya are certainly welcome. But they will need to go beyond the short-term perspective that so often accompanies responses to proclamations of crisis. And these new efforts will reek of hypocrisy if they do not also recognise the relationship between existing migration control policies and the vulnerability of migrants using routes into and through Libya. The story of young men sold as slaves in Libya was the focus of debates at the UN Security Council and topped the agenda at a major summit of European and African leaders. Slavery and other abuses are an “abomination” that “can no longer be ignored”, stated Filippo Grandi, the UN’s high commissioner for refugees. But stories of forced labour, exploitation and the buying and selling of migrants are not particularly new. I heard them myself in 2015 when I was part of a research team which carried out interviews with nearly 200 people who had departed from Libya by boat, towards Italy and Malta. I was arrested and imprisoned in southern Libya … I was sold to a slave trader, along with other Eritreans, Somalis and Nigerians. This person took us to a farm, where we could not leave except to go to work at a construction site and return. We were always guarded by armed people. These words, from a young Malian man, were mirrored by many others who spoke of being held captive, put into forced work or bought and sold. Some were set free once they had gathered enough ransom money, wired over to them by family and friends. Others might be released when their labour was no longer required or if they managed, somehow, to escape. But it was also not unusual to hear people being beaten and even see others die at the hands of their “owners”. Our project has not been the only one to report such findings. In 2016, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) found that 71% of migrants who crossed the central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Europe had experienced exploitation, particularly kidnapping, forced labour, carrying out work without being paid and being kept at locations against their will. In February 2017, a Sky documentary described Libya as “hell” for migrants and a study of trafficking and smuggling there referred to “the extortion economy and new slave trade”. European complicity Public figures are right to condemn people being sold as slaves in Libya. But their concern has an air of insincerity when they have known about it for years. The EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, Federica Mogherini, expressed her “total condemnation of these despicable acts” but also stated that “this is not something that began one month ago. Everybody has known about it for years”. For officials to say now that violence, exploitation and slavery can “no longer be ignored” belies the fact that these issues were downplayed and pushed aside as the EU pursued collaboration with the Libyan authorities to control migration. The primary objective of European approaches has instead been to stem the flow of people departing Libya by boat. Since the declaration of a migrant crisis back in 2015, the EU has given increasing amounts of funding and training to the Libyan coastguard and to detention centres to keep migrants on Libyan soil. In the summer of 2017, an emboldened Libyan coastguard then made threats of violence to international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) engaged in search and rescue missions at sea. Soon after, an armed militia west of Tripoli with backing from the Libyan authorities – who are themselves supported by Italian and EU authorities – stepped in to intercept boats and prevent people leaving towards Italy. These policies to stop boats arriving on European shores have had significant implications for the conditions of migrants in Libya. Many of the people we interviewed told us that they saw boats to Europe as the only way to flee. Now, once they are pushed back to Libya, they are held in detention centres, many of which have been criticised by international observers as overcrowded, unsanitary places where migrants are exploited. Research reports point to “abundant evidence” which shows that “detention facilities in Libya are the site of sustained criminal activity, as recruitment grounds for smuggling activity but also processing centres for ransom extraction and slavery.” Another report by the NGO Refugees International noted how often “in Libya, the policeman is a smuggler, and the smuggler is a policeman”. Despite this, just a few months ago Macron claimed that Libya could be an appropriate place to process asylum requests. The containment of migrants in Libya is therefore likely to be reinforcing the very situation that Europe’s leaders appear to be so angry about now. Médecins Sans Frontières described it as “feeding the business of suffering”. Moving beyond a crisis European approaches to migration across the Mediterranean have repeatedly been shaped by urgent attempts to address sudden crises. But the situation in Libya cannot easily be addressed by such a short-term response. People smuggling has been a thriving economic sector for years. The profits from smuggling, exploitation and now slavery provide important funds for different groups around the country. One report describes migrants as “simply another commodity to be exploited” by the various armed groups vying to control parts of Libyan territory. An important contribution to finding a longer-term solution could come from a newly announced “transit and departure facility” in Tripoli providing opportunities for people to escape from Libya. They would be resettled elsewhere, transferred to UNHCR facilities in other countries or returned to their country of origin. But so far there are only 10,500 places available – far below the number of places required – and this is little more than the nearly 9,000 returns already carried out by the IOM in 2017. After a decade of repeatedly declaring migrant crises and emergencies at their borders, it is time the EU took a broader, longer-term approach. This has to recognise the structural relationship between policies of border control, dynamics of migration and patterns of migrant vulnerability and exploitation. Intensifying border controls without addressing the reasons why people move or providing alternatives is likely to reinforce the dangers that they face. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity). Image Credit: EPA

Opinion: Libya is selling slaves. Why EU is ignoring

Russia will &quot;do everything necessary&quot; to facilitate an agreement between rival camps in Libya to end the country&#39;s political crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.

&quot;We will assist in resolving all questions in negotiations between Tripoli and Tobruk, with whom we are regularly in contact,&quot; Lavrov said at a press conference following a meeting with his Libyan counterpart Mohamad Taha Siala in Moscow.

&quot;Russia will do everything necessary to fully normalise the situation in Libya and in regard to the international aspect of re-establishing the rights of the Libyan state,&quot; Lavrov said.&nbsp;

Libya has plunged into political chaos and instability since the ouster and killing of its long-time leader Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed 2011 revolution.&nbsp;

Libya&#39;s Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli has struggled to impose its authority across the conflict-ridden North African country.&nbsp;

A rival administration based in Libya`s east has refused to recognise the GNA.

'Russia will do everything necessary to fully normalise the situation in Libya,' Lavrov said

Russia will "do everything necessary" to facilitate an agreement between rival camps in Libya to end the country's political crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday. "We will assist in resolving all questions in negotiations between Tripoli and Tobruk, with whom we are regularly in contact," Lavrov said at a press conference following a meeting with his Libyan counterpart Mohamad Taha Siala in Moscow. "Russia will do everything necessary to fully normalise the situation in Libya and in regard to the international aspect of re-establishing the rights of the Libyan state," Lavrov said. Libya has plunged into political chaos and instability since the ouster and killing of its long-time leader Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed 2011 revolution. Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli has struggled to impose its authority across the conflict-ridden North African country. A rival administration based in Libya`s east has refused to recognise the GNA.

Russia pledges to help negotiate end to Libya crisis

OPEC agreed on Thursday to extend oil output cuts until the end of 2018 as it tries to finish clearing a global glut of crude while signalling it could exit the deal earlier if the market overheats.

Non-OPEC Russia, which this year reduced production significantly with OPEC for the first time, has been pushing for a clear message on how to exit the cuts so the market doesn&#39;t flip into a deficit too soon, prices don&#39;t rally too fast and rival U.S. shale firms don&#39;t boost output further.

The producers&#39; current deal, under which they are cutting supply by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in an effort to boost oil prices, expires in March.

Two OPEC delegates told Reuters the group had agreed to extend the cuts by nine months until the end of 2018, as largely anticipated by the market.

OPEC also decided to cap the output of Nigeria at around 1.8 million bpd but had yet to agree a cap for Libya. Both countries have been previously exempt from cuts due to unrest and lower-than-normal production.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has yet to meet with non-OPEC producers led by Russia, with the meeting scheduled to begin after 1500 GMT.

Before the earlier, OPEC-only meeting started at the group&#39;s headquarters in Vienna on Thursday, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said it was premature to talk about exiting the cuts at least for a couple of quarters and added that the group would examine progress at its next meeting in June.

&quot;When we get to an exit, we are going to do it very gradually ... to make sure we don&rsquo;t shock the market,&quot; he said.

The Iraqi, Iranian and Angolan oil ministers also said a review of the deal was possible in June in case the market became too tight.

International benchmark Brent crude rose more than 1 percent on Thursday to trade near $64 per barrel.

Capping Nigeria, Libya&nbsp;

With oil prices rising above $60, Russia has expressed concerns that such an extension could prompt a spike in crude production in the United States, which is not participating in the deal.

Russia needs much lower oil prices to balance its budget than OPEC&#39;s leader Saudi Arabia, which is preparing a stock market listing for national energy champion Aramco next year and would hence benefit from pricier crude.

&quot;Prices will be well supported in December with a large global stock draw. The market could surprise to the upside with even $70 per barrel for Brent not out of the question if there is an unexpected interruption in supply,&quot; said Gary Ross, a veteran OPEC watcher and founder of Pira consultancy.

The production cuts have been in place since the start of 2017 and helped halve an excess of global oil stocks although those remain at 140 million barrels above the five-year average, according to OPEC.

Russia has signalled it wants to understand better how producers will exit from the cuts as it needs to provide guidance to its private and state energy companies.

&quot;It is important ... to work out a strategy which we will follow from April 2018,&quot; Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday.

OPEC also decided to cap the output of Nigeria at around 1.8 million bpd but had yet to agree a cap for Libya. Both countries have been previously exempt from cuts due to unrest and lower-than-normal production.

OPEC agreed on Thursday to extend oil output cuts until the end of 2018 as it tries to finish clearing a global glut of crude while signalling it could exit the deal earlier if the market overheats. Non-OPEC Russia, which this year reduced production significantly with OPEC for the first time, has been pushing for a clear message on how to exit the cuts so the market doesn't flip into a deficit too soon, prices don't rally too fast and rival U.S. shale firms don't boost output further. The producers' current deal, under which they are cutting supply by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in an effort to boost oil prices, expires in March. Two OPEC delegates told Reuters the group had agreed to extend the cuts by nine months until the end of 2018, as largely anticipated by the market. OPEC also decided to cap the output of Nigeria at around 1.8 million bpd but had yet to agree a cap for Libya. Both countries have been previously exempt from cuts due to unrest and lower-than-normal production. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has yet to meet with non-OPEC producers led by Russia, with the meeting scheduled to begin after 1500 GMT. Before the earlier, OPEC-only meeting started at the group's headquarters in Vienna on Thursday, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said it was premature to talk about exiting the cuts at least for a couple of quarters and added that the group would examine progress at its next meeting in June. "When we get to an exit, we are going to do it very gradually ... to make sure we don’t shock the market," he said. The Iraqi, Iranian and Angolan oil ministers also said a review of the deal was possible in June in case the market became too tight. International benchmark Brent crude rose more than 1 percent on Thursday to trade near $64 per barrel. Capping Nigeria, Libya With oil prices rising above $60, Russia has expressed concerns that such an extension could prompt a spike in crude production in the United States, which is not participating in the deal. Russia needs much lower oil prices to balance its budget than OPEC's leader Saudi Arabia, which is preparing a stock market listing for national energy champion Aramco next year and would hence benefit from pricier crude. "Prices will be well supported in December with a large global stock draw. The market could surprise to the upside with even $70 per barrel for Brent not out of the question if there is an unexpected interruption in supply," said Gary Ross, a veteran OPEC watcher and founder of Pira consultancy. The production cuts have been in place since the start of 2017 and helped halve an excess of global oil stocks although those remain at 140 million barrels above the five-year average, according to OPEC. Russia has signalled it wants to understand better how producers will exit from the cuts as it needs to provide guidance to its private and state energy companies. "It is important ... to work out a strategy which we will follow from April 2018," Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday.

OPEC agrees oil cut extension to end of 2018

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