Amazigh Supreme Council has condemned the attack of forces loyal to commander of the western military zone Osama Joaili on Abu Kammash area near the Libyan-Tunisian border, saying it was a blatant attack and a threat to all the Amazigh people who support “unity.” The council added in a statement that the attacks left the resident terrified due to the use of heavy weapons. “The attackers were racist forces led by Osama Joaili.” The council added, saying the Presidential Council and the UNSMIL to blame for attacks. The Municipality of Zuwara denounced the attack and the violation of the city’s peacefulness by Joaili’s forces, adding that heinous attacks left the resident panicking and trapped inside clashes areas for hours.
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Hatif Libya said Thursday that telecommunication network’s coverage wa back in the areas of Emssaed and eastern Tobruk after four days of shutdown. The company added that maintenance teams transferred all the services to the sea cable after the fiber cables were damaged by digging works. Hatif Libya announced shutdown of different telecommunication services on December 31 in Emssaed and some eastern Tobruk towns.
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he Libyan foreign ministry Mohammed Sayala said Friday that Libya should not be the only country to assume responsibility for illegal immigration, “but the Africans and the Europeans should have their part, too.” Sayala added in a statement after meeting foreign ministers of Nigeria and Congo in Tripoli that African officials visited migrants’ centers to see their conditions and fact-check the allegations about slave trade in Libya.
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The International Organization for Migration (IOM) died trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean in 2017. IOM added Friday that despite the tragic number of deaths of migrants, but the number dropped sharply compared to the last few years. It added that 170.000 migrants and refugees arrived in Europe in 2017 – 70% to Italy and the rest to Cyprus, Greece and Spain.
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Sources from Hun town in Al-Jufra said gunmen from the so-called Brigade 128 of Khalifa Haftar’s forces opened fire randomly on a group of young men playing soccer in an open lot in the town. The sources added that one of the young men was injured and sent to Al-Afiya Hospital, saying the situation in the town is very tense with intermittent gunshots being heard late on Friday.
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The Chairman of the National Oil Corporation Mustafa Sanallah urged for swiftly approving the oil sector’s budget so that they can, with their partners, work and reach the targeted oil output. In a meeting with planning minister Al-Taher Al-Jahami and other officials Thursday, Sanallah discussed 2018 budget and the mechanisms of funding it, plus setting limits for the NOC’s expenditure policy after conditioning it to the achievement of the NOC’s targets.
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The International Organization for Migration said it helped in giving water access to 47000 people in 2017, adding in a tweet that the assistance was through rebuilding 37 water wells and drilling two new ones in Sabha and Al-Gatroon. The assistance is part of Stabilization Support Program of the IOM in Libya.
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The Head of dialogue committee of the High Council of State (HCS) Mousa Faraj said Thursday that the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) is legitimate since December 2015 and is the only framework with which the UN and the international community is dealing. He added that the LPA has been included in the constitutional declaration by the General National Congress (GNC) and thus the HCS was formed based on it and the Libyan courts are working based on it as well. He also accused the HoR of negligence as they failed to approve the LPA as agreed between HoR members, the UNSMIL and the GNC back in 2015.
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25 immigrants drowned off the Libyan coast after a dingy filled with 150 immigrants had capsized, reported search and rescue NGOs. German NGO, Sea Watch, tweeted Saturday "Rubber dingy sunk north of Tripoli. At least 25 people died in the incident, the exact numbers still unclear. The Italian Navy on the scene." Meanwhile, AFP reported that Italian coastguards as saying that 85 people were rescued and 8 bodies were recovered.
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