Trump administration proposes scrapping UN peacekeeping funding
Washington DC, US Reuters The White House budget office has proposed eliminating funding for United Nations peacekeeping missions, citing failures by operations in Mali, Lebanon and Democratic Republic of Congo, according to internal planning documents seen by Reuters. Washington is the UN’s largest contributor – with China second – accounting for 22 per cent of […]
Israel will leave troops in five locations in Lebanon after Tuesday deadline, military spokesperson says
Beirut, Lebanon/Jerusalem Reuters Israel will keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past an 18th February deadline for them to withdraw, a military spokesperson said on Monday, as Israeli leaders sought to reassure northern residents that they can return home safely. Under a truce deal brokered by Washington in November, Israeli troops were granted […]
Congo’s army and Burundian allies slow M23 rebel’s southern march
Reuters Congolese troops with support from Burundi’s army appeared on Friday to be holding back a push south by Rwandan-backed rebels seeking to expand their grip on eastern Congo in a weeks-old advance that has raised fears of a broader regional conflict. Earlier this week the Tutsi-led M23 rebels seized Goma, the largest city in […]
Rwanda-backed rebels bed down in Congo’s Goma and push south for further gains
Reuters The United Nations expressed deep concern at reports of M23 rebels and Rwandan troops advancing south towards the Congolese city of Bukavu on Thursday, as the militants sought also to assert their control over east Congo’s largest city Goma. The Rwandan-backed insurgents’ seizure of Goma this week and ongoing offensive southwards are the biggest […]
Congo’s M23 rebels take control of Goma airport, embassies attacked in capital
Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo Reuters Rebels seized the airport of east Congo’s largest city Goma on Tuesday, potentially cutting off the main route for aid to reach hundreds of thousands of displaced people, after capturing the city in an offensive that left dead bodies lying in the streets. M23 fighters marched into Goma on […]
UN peacekeepers say Israel’s destruction of their property breaches international law
Beirut, Lebanon Reuters The United Nations’ peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon said on Friday that the Israeli military’s “deliberate and direct destruction” of its property was a “flagrant violation” of international law. The 10,000-strong UN mission, known as UNIFIL, is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the “blue line” separating Lebanon from Israel. […]
Hezbollah calls for US action, not words, as Trump reclaims White House
Beirut, Lebanon Reuters Hezbollah welcomes any effort to stop the war in Lebanon but does not pin hopes for a ceasefire on any particular US administration, Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi said on Thursday when asked about Donald Trump’s election victory. “It might be a change in the party who is in power, but when it […]
G7 reassures Ukraine on NATO bid, frets over threat to UN in Lebanon
Naples, Italy Reuters Defence ministers of the G7 wealthy democracies on Saturday backed Ukraine’s “irreversible” path to NATO membership and expressed concern over threats to United Nations peacekeepers targeted by Israel in Lebanon. The first ever gathering of G7 defence ministers took place as Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah exchanged fire, with one drone […]
UNIFIL condemns “deliberate” Israeli attacks, says destruction in Lebanese villages is shocking
Geneva, Switzerland Reuters The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said on Friday it had come under several “deliberate” attacks by Israeli forces in recent days and efforts to help civilians in villages in the war zone were being hampered by Israeli shelling. The UN mission, known as UNIFIL, is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor […]
Mayor among 16 killed in Israeli strike on south Lebanon municipality building
Beirut, Lebanon Reuters An Israeli airstrike destroyed the municipal headquarters in a major town in south Lebanon on Wednesday, killing 16 people including the mayor, in the biggest attack on an official Lebanese state building since the Israeli air campaign began. Lebanese officials denounced the attack, which also wounded more than 50 people in Nabatieh, […]