One of two brothers suspected of carrying out the deadly shooting at a French satirical weekly visited Yemen in 2011 to train with al-Qaeda affiliated militants, US and European sources close to the investigation said on Thursday.
The sources said Said Kouachi was in Yemen for a number of months training with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) where he allegedly met with Anwar al-Awlaki. He and his brother Cherif are the subject of a manhunt in France following the killing of twelve people by gunmen at the offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. [Reuters, New York Times, 1/9/2015]
EGYPT | LIBYA & THE MAGHREB | SYRIA & ITS NEIGHBORS | YEMEN & THE GULF | ECONOMICS
Egypt to hold parliamentary elections starting March 22, 23
Egypt’s top election committee said on Thursday that parliamentary elections will take place in two stages in March and April. Head of the Higher Elections Committee (HEC), Ayman Abbas said the first stage of the vote will take place March 21 to 211 for expats and 22 to 23 for residents in Egypt. The second stage takes place on April 25 to 26 for expats and April 26 to 27 for Egypt residents. Fourteen Egyptian governorates will vote in the first stage, while eleven governorates, including the capital Cairo, cast their ballots in the second stage. In case a runoff vote is needed, it will take place from March 31 to April 2 for the first stage and May 5 to 7 for the second stage. [Ahram Online, DNE, AP, Reuters, 1/8/2015]
Rights organization appeals freeze on activists’ assets
A human rights organization appealed on Thursday the asset freeze ordered for a number of liberal, anti-government activists as part of a list of target politicians mainly from the Muslim Brotherhood. The Egyptian Center for Social and Economic Rights said the panel selected by the Justice Ministry to freeze the assets of more than 100 Brotherhood-allied figures facing charges of violence was illegally formed. [Egypt Independent, 1/8/2015]
100 houses cleared on day one in second phase of Sinai “buffer zone”
Egyptian authorities cleared 100 houses and destroyed twelve others on Thursday on the first day of expanding the “buffer zone” between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, which will expand the zone by 500 meters, bringing the total size of the buffer zone to one kilometer wide and almost fourteen kilometers long along the border with Gaza. A total of 1,220 houses sheltering around 2,044 families exist in the “buffer area” to be cleared, state-run MENA reported, adding that the second phase is expected to be concluded during this week. [Aswat Masriya, Ahram Online, 1/9/2015]
300 Egyptian fishermen fleeing Libya reach their hometown
Eleven boats containing some 300 Egyptian fishermen reached Egypt on Friday after escaping from the Libyan city of Misrata, where armed clashes have been ongoing. Following their escape, the fishermen were reported missing in the Mediterranean Sea due to bad weather conditions and communication between them and their families was temporarily lost. A diplomatic source maintained that the ministry of foreign affairs worked closely with the concerned state institutions to locate the fishermen and secure their return to Egypt. [Ahram Online, EGYNews (Arabic), 1/9/2015]
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UN envoy meets representatives of Libyan factions; GNC criticizes meeting with Haftar
UN Special Representative to Libya Bernardino Leon met on Thursday with members of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives and also with Khalifa Haftar, Commander of Operation Dignity. Leon also met with the rival government, the General National Congress (GNC), which is allied with Operation Libya Dawn. The GNC warned Leon that more interactions with Haftar, whom they characterized as a “war criminal,” would “negatively affect” future dialogue. While the political and military fights continue, Libyan bloggers condemn the ongoing violence, with some saying the constitution could provide a way out. [Reuters, Libya Herald (subscription), 1/8/2015]
Libyan army renews threat to fire on air and sea traffic approaching Misrata
The Libyan National Army (LNA), which is aligned with the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, reiterated on Thursday the threat to fire on any plane or ship approaching Misrata. LNA spokesperson Mohamed Hijazi said the LNA Air Force is monitoring the activity at the port and airport closely. He also said that Misrata had become “disastrous,” spreading terrorism and extremism, and importing weapons to terrorist elements across Libya. [Libya Herald, 1/8/2015]
Ten more Egyptians reported missing in Libya; Egypt launches ‘crisis cell’
Ten more Egyptians are reported missing in Libya. The disappearance of this group, plus the twenty Coptic Christians kidnapped last week, prompted President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to form a “crisis cell.” The cell will be comprised of representatives from the various Egyptian ministries and security apparatuses that have a stake in Libya. The cell will be tasked to “secure the lives of Egyptians kidnapped in LIbya.” [Libya Herald, 1/8/2015]
Tunisian military receives US aircraft to bolster defenses
Tunisia received a second C-130 military transport aircraft from the United States. During a ceremony on Thursday, Tunisian Defense Minister Ghazi Jribi welcomed the US assistance to Tunisia’s security challenges. Tunisia received the first C-130 last year and will also receive speedboats, helicopters, and night vision equipment. From a statement in August 2014, General David Rodriguez of US Africa Command said Tunisia will receive $60 million worth of US military aid in 2015. [AP, 1/8/2015]
ISIS statement claims execution of two Tunisian journalists in Libya
The Libyan affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS or ISIL) claims it executed two Tunisian journalists. A post on the group’s website showed Sofiene Chourabi and Nadhir Ktari of Tunisia First Live and stated they were killed because they worked for a television company that was deemed anti-Islamic. The group’s claim has not been confirmed by either the Libyan or Tunisian governments. [Tunisia Live, Middle East Eye, 1/8/2015]
Nusra Front and Islamic factions attack Shia villages in northern Syria
Syria’s Nusra Front and other Islamic militants fought during the night to capture two Shia villages ten miles north of Aleppo but were repelled. The militants, who used tanks, were pushed back from both areas by the regime forces supported by Hezbollah fighters and barrel bombs dropped by regime helicopters. Pro-government activists published photos on social media that they said showed the bodies of Nusra Front fighters in a ditch near the villages. At least twenty-five people were killed, including fourteen militants. Despite the loss, Islamist activists released a trailer for their propaganda film titled “Victory Beginnings.” [Reuters, al-Akhbar English, 1/9/2015]
MI5 chief warns Nusra Front is planning mass attacks on West
Militants from al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, the Nusra Front, are plotting attacks to inflict mass casualties in the West, possibly against transport systems or “iconic targets,” the head of Britain’s MI5 Security Service Andrew Parker said on Thursday. Parker said around 600 British extremists had traveled to Syria, many joining the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). British intelligence services stressed that Twitter and Facebook are so important to militants that technology giants should give security services greater access to their networks. The statements comes two days after the assault on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. [Reuters, 1/9/2015]
Iraqi parliament votes on formation of committee to investigate fall of Mosul
The Iraqi House of Representatives voted Thursday on the formation of an investigative committee to investigate the reasons behind the fall of the city of Mosul at the hands of ISIS. MP Kamil Zaidi told reporters, “The House of Representatives voted during its meeting today on the formation of an investigative committee specialized in investigating the reasons for the fall of Mosul at the hands of the terrorist organization.” [Iraqi News, 1/8/2015]
Suspect in Charlie Hebdo attack trained in Yemen
One of two brothers suspected of carrying out the deadly shooting at a French satirical weekly visited Yemen in 2011 to train with al-Qaeda affiliated militants, US and European sources close to the investigation said on Thursday. The sources said Said Kouachi was in Yemen for a number of months training with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) where he allegedly met with Anwar al-Awlaki. He and his brother Cherif are the subject of a manhunt in France following the killing of twelve people by gunmen at the offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. [Reuters, New York Times, 1/9/2015]
Yemeni police arrest six suspects in police college bombing
Police in Yemen have arrested six people suspected of involvement in Wednesday’s bombing of a police college in Sanaa, the capital’s police chief told Yemeni television on Thursday. More fugitive suspects were still being pursued, police chief Abdelrazaq al-Muayyid said. Yemen’s top security body has blamed al-Qaeda for a bomb blast at a police academy in Sanaa, as authorities gave a new toll Thursday of forty killed in the attack. [SABA, AFP, Reuters, 1/9/2015]
After attack, Yemen sacks police academy chief
The ministry of interior released an official statement saying that the police academy chief will be replaced after the bombing on the police academy. Abdullah Qiran, former Director of Security in Taiz and Aden, will replace him. In 2011, Qiran was accused of orchestrating brutal crackdowns against protesters in Aden and Taiz killing at least fifteen. [Al Masdar, SABA, 1/8/2015]
Houthis kidnap teachers and students in Sanaa
Militants from Yemen’s Houthi movement on Thursday kidnapped seven teachers and two students from a religious school in Sanaa’s northern Arhab district. The militants kidnapped the teachers and students as part of an operation the group is conducting in the district, where they have been carrying out an aggressive operation in search of al-Qaeda members. Those arrested included prominent tribal leaders with links to Islah. [Yemen Times, 1/9/2015]
Tunisia’s unions sound alarm on indebted welfare
According to estimates by the country’s main union and important political actors, Tunisia’s welfare and assistance funds are heavily indebted, leading to a potential deficit at the end of 2015, which could put at risk a system that is vital to a significant part of the population. According to the union, the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) at the end of 2015 will total a budget deficit of 390 million dinars; the estimated deficit for the National Pension and Welfare Fund (CNRPS) will be worth 285 million; that of the National Insurance Company (CNAM) will be 70 million. Urgent measures are necessary and most likely will involve raising the county’s retirement age. [ANSAmed, 1/9/2015]
Algeria’s foreign reserves fall $8 billion in three months
According to Algeria’s central bank governor, the country’s foreign exchange reserves dropped by $8 billion in the third quarter of 2014, adding to the country’s falling energy revenue problem. Nevertheless, the governor reinforced previous comments saying that Algeria disposed of enough financial resources to cope with a decline in the price of oil, on which it relies heavily to fund its economic development plans and social programs. Algeria expected earnings from oil and gas sales abroad to reach $60 billion in 2014, down from $63 billion the previous year. [Reuters, 1/8/2015]
Morocco’s GDP growth seen picking up in first quarter
The government of Morocco sees growth at 4.4 percent in 2015 after it slowed to 2.5 percent in 2014. It also plans to reduce the budget deficit to 4.3 percent of GDP from an estimated 4.9 percent in 2014. Morocco has ended subsidies of energy products including diesel and gasoline, but is still controlling cooking gas, wheat, and sugar prices because of political sensitivity. [Al Arabiya, 1/8/2015]