A US special forces raid in eastern Syria killed thirty-two members of the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL), including four leaders, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Sunday. “The US operation killed thirty-two members of ISIS, among them four officials, including ISIS oil chief Abu Sayyaf, the deputy ISIS defense minister, and an ISIS communications official,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, head the Observatory. US officials have said “about a dozen” people were killed in the operation on Friday night, which was conducted by Iraq-based US commandos in order to capture Abu Sayyaf. Abdel Rahman said three of the four leading officials killed in the raid were from North Africa, but that the ISIS communications official was Syrian. President Barack Obama approved the special forces operation, a rare use of US “boots on the ground.” The operation targeted an ISIS compound in Deir Ezzor. Lawmakers on Sunday praised the raid but cautioned that the United States still faces continued turmoil. Rep. Ryan Zinke said that Abu Sayyaf “was not in the top ten” of ISIS leadership. [AFP, Washington Post, NY Times, LA Times, Reuters, 5/17/215]
EGYPT | LIBYA & THE MAGHREB | SYRIA & ITS NEIGHBORS | YEMEN & THE GULF | ECONOMICS
Morsi sentenced to death for prison break pending Mufti’s recommendation
An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced deposed president Mohamed Morsi and more than 100 other people to death for their role in a mass jailbreak during the 2011 uprising. The prisoners included members of Hamas, Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood, and other criminals, according to the prosecution. The court also issued a preliminary death sentence to Brotherhood leaders Mohamed al-Beltagy, Khairat al-Shater, and fourteen others in the “Hamas espionage case.” The court did not on Saturday issue a ruling against Morsi and eighteen others in that case and scheduled the final verdict on the prison break case for June 2 after the Mufti submits his recommendation on the death sentence. Defendants can still appeal the verdict. The United States is “deeply concerned” about the decision to seek the death penalty, a State Department official said on Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity. US criticism follows condemnations from Amnesty International and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, as well as from Turkish opposition parties, after the court ruling on Saturday against the deposed president. Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said in a statement, that the verdict “was not in line with Egypt’s obligations under international law.” [Reuters, Mada Masr, DNE, Ahram Online, The Guardian, AFP, Aswat Masriya, 5/16/2015]
Political parties seek ‘immunity from dissolution’ for next parliament
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received the “unified project” on Sunday, a proposal of amendments to the laws related to parliamentary elections, by nearly thirty political parties that concluded a three-day workshop, the Conservative Party announced. Egyptian politicians demanded legal guarantees that the upcoming parliament would not be dissolved. “This can be achieved through an amendment in the law regulating the work of the Supreme Constitutional Court,” said Yehia Qadry, a legal expert and Vice President of the National Movement Party. “All decisions by the SCC are retroactive under the current system,” Kadry explained. He said if the law was passed before the elections, the next parliament would be immune to dissolution. The Conservative Party asserted it was not planning to produce parallel amendments to those done by the governmental committee, but to “help” protect the elections laws from potential unconstitutionality. [DNE, 5/18/2015]
Reem Maged’s show suspended from ONtv
Egyptian private satellite channel ONTV will not broadcast the upcoming episode of acclaimed presenter Reem Maged’s show, the channel’s head said on Friday. The weekly program was produced by Deutsche Welle and aired by its Arabic channel and ONtv. It will continue to air on Deutsche Welle. Albert Shafik, head of ONtv, refused to comment on the suspension to Al-Ahram, amid speculations that the channel was pressured by authorities to cancel the show. In a phone call to the studio of Akher El-Nahar news talk show on Friday, Maged said she did not know the reasons either and called upon the entity that took the decision to clarify. ONtv network owner, Naguib Sawiris, said the cancellation came as a result of financial difficulties that led to the cancellation of any program that does not bring in advertising. Sawiris also rebutted Maged’s claims of government interference by stating she was “obsessed” with “sovereign security institutions.” However, Maged still believes there was outside pressure involved in the cancellation decision. [Mada Masr, 5/18/2015]
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Benghazi Islamist leader claims 80 percent of LNA destroyed; more children killed in rocket attacks
A main commander of the pro-Islamist Benghazi Revolutionaries’ Shura Council (BRSC) Wisam Ben Hamid claimed that his forces have destroyed 80 percent of the Libyan National Army (LNA) in Benghazi. The claim does not tally with the situation on the ground in Benghazi, where BRSC forces and Ansar al-Sharia have been pushed out of much of the city. Meanwhile, three children, all sisters, were killed Saturday by more random rocket fire in Benghazi. Thirteen children were killed last week. [Libya Herald, 5/17/2015]
EU seeks naval mission in Mediterranean to go after smugglers
European Union (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini pushed for a naval mission in the Mediterranean to target Libyans smuggling people to Europe, saying that an EU agreement would hasten the UN mandate that the plan needs to succeed. The EU ultimately wants to capture smugglers and destroy their boats off the Libyan coast to help it tackle the rising number of migrants fleeing war and poverty in North Africa, but many EU countries want UN authorization to act. Without UN authorization, the EU’s naval mission will not have the mandate to intervene in Libyan territorial waters and onshore in Libya to seize vessels. Some 51,000 migrants have entered Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea this year and about 1,800 have drowned attempting. [Reuters, 5/18/2015]
Libya’s official government bans Bangladeshi workers from entry
Libya’s Tobruk-based government has banned Bangladeshi workers from entering the country because many were trying to travel illegally by boat to Europe. A Tobruk spokesman said the ban is an effort to fight illegal immigration coming out of Libya. The ban will only apply for land borders, ports, and airports in eastern Libya where the Tobruk government is in control. However, Western Libya, which is controlled by the rival Tripoli-based government, is the main launching pad for most illegal migrants leaving Libya. [Reuters, Libya Herald, 5/16/2015]
Libya Dawn militias arrest 172 Tunisians
A militia allied to the Operation Libya Dawn forces controlling Tripoli has detained 170 Tunisians since Saturday. The kidnapping appears to be motivated by the arrest of one of the militia’s leaders, which took place Thursday in a Tunisian airport. The Tunisian consul in Tripoli told a Tunis radio station that the militia demanded the immediate release of the Libya Dawn commander, whom he did not name. [ANSAmed, Reuters, 5/18/2015]
Family of Tunisian man who died in police custody claims torture
The family of a man who died in suspicious circumstances while in police custody earlier this week claims that he was tortured to death. Abdelmajid al-Jeday, died after he was detained at Sidi Bouzid national guard base on Tuesday. Police officers claim that al-Jeday hanged himself while in custody, but when family members saw his body, they found he had severe head injuries and apparent torture marks across his upper body. Al-Jeday was pursuing a torture case against national guard officers at Sidi Bouzid station after he was allegedly abused in custody following an arrest for petty theft in February. He had contacted the anti-torture group SANAD and was attempting to take his case through the courts. [Tunisia Live, 5/15/2015]
US raid in Syria killed thirty-two ISIS militants, including four leaders
A US special forces raid in eastern Syria killed thirty-two members of the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL), including four leaders, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Sunday. “The US operation killed thirty-two members of ISIS, among them four officials, including ISIS oil chief Abu Sayyaf, the deputy ISIS defense minister, and an ISIS communications official,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, head the Observatory. US officials have said “about a dozen” people were killed in the operation on Friday night, which was conducted by Iraq-based US commandos in order to capture Abu Sayyaf. Abdel Rahman said three of the four leading officials killed in the raid were from North Africa, but that the ISIS communications official was Syrian. President Barack Obama approved the special forces operation, a rare use of US “boots on the ground.” The operation targeted an ISIS compound in Deir Ezzor. Lawmakers on Sunday praised the raid but cautioned that the United States still faces continued turmoil. Rep. Ryan Zinke said that Abu Sayyaf “was not in the top ten” of ISIS leadership. [AFP, Washington Post, NY Times, LA Times, Reuters, 5/17/215]
Shia militias gather to join fight against ISIS gains
A column of Shia militia fighters arrived at a military base near Ramadi Monday as Baghdad moved to retake the western Iraqi city that fell to ISIS militants. The militia, known as Popular Mobilization Units, had been deployed after Ramadi was overrun on Sunday. The US-led coalition stepped up air raids against ISIS, conducting nineteen strikes near Ramadi over the past seventy-two hours at the request of the Iraqi security forces. There are concerns that involving Shia militias in the fight will alienate some Sunni tribes. Tarik al-Abdullah, secretary-general of the Anbar council, a group of provincial tribal leaders, said Monday that the Shia militias are “not very welcome… We need the support of the government. We have a big number of volunteers waiting to participate to liberate our province from ISIS.” [Reuters, AFP, Al-Jazeera English, Washington Post, 5/18/2015]
Syrian army pushes ISIS back from city of Palmyra
Syrian troops pushed ISIS jihadists back from the ancient city of Palmyra Sunday, easing fears over the World Heritage Site, after fighting that left hundreds dead. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said nearly 300 people have been killed in four days of fighting in and around Palmyra since ISIS launched an assault on the desert oasis city Wednesday. The death toll comprised 123 soldiers and loyalist militiamen, 115 ISIS fighters, and 57 civilians, dozens of whom were executed by ISIS, the Observatory said. Gov. Talal Barazi of Homs province said the situation is “fully under control” in Palmyra. [The Daily Star, AP, 5/18/2015]
Turkish jets shoot down Syrian helicopter after violating airspace
Turkish forces shot down a Syrian helicopter after it crossed into Turkish airspace, Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said Saturday. Syrian state-run television denied the report, saying that a small drone was shot down. Yilmaz said that the helicopter was brought down Saturday after it crossed at Cilvegozu, near the southern Turkish city of Reyhanli. The helicopter had been in Turkish airspace for five minutes and was shot down after it had made it seven miles into Turkey. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the helicopter was given a warning but was shot after it remained in Turkish airspace. He said the helicopter then crashed inside Syria. The incident is the second time since last year that Turkey has brought down a Syrian aircraft. In March 2014, Turkish fighter jets shot down a Syrian war plane. [AFP, Reuters, AP, 5/17/2015]
Hadi calls for return of Gulf initiative as Riyadh conference on Yemen begins
Yemeni President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi opened a conference on Yemen in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday, urging for a return to the Gulf-backed initiative on the country’s post-Arab Spring future. Hadi told those gathered at the three-day conference it was necessary to return to the outcomes of the initiative, which were finalized in January 2014, in order to rebuild the country after months of instability. He urged the international community and the United Nations to help put an end to the fighting in Yemen, which has seen Houthi militias clash with forces on the ground loyal to Hadi and air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition of Arab partners. [Asharq al-Awsat, 5/17/2015]
Saudi FM says GCC comfortable with Obama reassurance over Iran deal
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir described Thursday’s US-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, which saw US pledges of ironclad support for Gulf regional security, as historic and unprecedented. He said that Riyadh has secured a very good understanding with the United States regarding joint military training agreements and the development of early warning and ballistic missile defense systems for the GCC. Jubeir confirmed that one of the major topics of conversation at the summit was the threat posed by Iran to the region. President Obama briefed the GCC leaders on the latest developments of the Iran nuclear talks and they agreed regarding the danger of Iranian interference in regional affairs. [Asharq al-Awsat, 5/16/2015]
Saudi-led airstrikes hit Yemen after truce expires
Saudi-led forces resumed military operations in Yemen after a five-day ceasefire ended late on Sunday, and Yemen’s foreign minister blamed the Iranian-backed Houthis for failure to renew the truce. The end of the ceasefire came despite appeals by the UN and rights groups for extra time to allow the delivery of badly needed humanitarian supplies to the country. “That’s what we said before – that if they start again, we will start again,” Yemeni Foreign Minister Reyad Yassin Abdulla said. He said the coalition was not considering any new ceasefire but would not target air and seaports needed for aid shipments. Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif called on the UN to take on a more active role in Yemen, including establishing a presence on the ground to ensure that humanitarian aid could be distributed. “We believe the UN needs to create a protected zone in Yemen to receive humanitarian aid… it is time for the UN to take control of the situation,” Zarif said. [Reuters, Al Arabiya, 5/18/2015]
Human Rights Watch visits Saada
A delegation of the Human Rights Watch has visited Saada province and carried out a tour of inspection in several areas and hospitals and met with a number people wounded by the Saudi-led coalition. The delegation documented the cases of a number of wounded people. Human Rights Watch has previously stated it had credible evidence indicated that the Saudi-led coalition used banned cluster munitions supplied by the United States in airstrikes against Houthi forces in Yemen. [SABA, 5/17/2015]
Oil prices rise on Iraq, Yemen fighting
Oil prices rose slightly in trading on supply concerns in the Middle East following fighting in Iraq and Yemen. There are concerns that the conflict in Iraq and Saudi attacks on Yemen could disrupt production or supply routes. A Saudi-led coalition resumed air strikes against Yemen’s Houthi militia in Aden, while Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) militants took the Iraqi city of Ramadi. Meanwhile, Iraqi troops continued to struggle to hold onto the country’s largest oil refinery in Baiji. Oil prices have rallied more than 40 percent from a six-year low reached in March as demand strengthened and US production slowed. Experts say turmoil in the Middle East could threaten growing supplies from Gulf-based members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). [Reuters, Bloomberg, 5/18/2015]
Egyptian government confirms capital gains tax on hold for two years
Egypt’s government has suspended a 10 percent tax imposed on the market’s capital gains for two years, causing shares to rise in early trading. A 10 percent tax on stock dividends will remain, the government added. The suspension comes after a months-long downturn and investors’ complaints of a lack of clarity regarding the tax. Some investors had gone to court to abolish the law on the tax, which President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi approved nearly a year ago. The law was part of the government’s effort to broaden the country’s tax base while enacting a number of tough structural reforms. The suspension of the tax reflects the difficulty of maneuvering through such reforms. [Reuters, Associated Press, 5/18/2015]
Saudi Arabia’s March oil exports highest in over nine years
Saudi Arabia’s crude exports rose in March to their highest in almost a decade, official data showed on Monday, a sign of unexpectedly strong global demand as the top oil exporter increased its output to the highest rate on record. Saudi Arabia shipped 7.9 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil in March, the highest level since November 2005, according to data supplied by the international oil market monitor the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI). The increase in output underlines Saudi Arabia’s determination not to cede market share to higher-cost producers. The kingdom and others in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have resisted cutting production to shore up oil prices. [Reuters, Bloomberg, 5/18/2015]
Tunisian minister says new five-year plan to be ready before end of November
Tunisia’s Finance Minister Slim Chaker announced that a new five year plan for 2016 to 2020 will be completed before the end of November. His announcement came on the sidelines of a conference held by the Tunisian government and the World Bank. Chaker said that the government will seek to enact reforms in the tax, banking, and customs sectors, amend the investment code, and adopt a law on public private partnership. Reforms will also be initiated in the health, education, and vocational training fields. Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid added that the government is committed to implementing reforms to boost economic competitiveness and growth. [Gulf Times, 5/16/2015]