New revelations show how close Libya came to peaceful transition

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in his Bedouin tent, January 12, 1986. (Reuters)
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Updated 19 March 2021
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New revelations show how close Libya came to peaceful transition

  • Norwegian diplomacy led to Gaddafi agreeing to step down, but the deal feel through at the last minute
  • He refused to leave the country, and the UK and France had reservations

LONDON: The late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi agreed to step down and leave politics in 2011, in a deal that could have avoided a decade of crisis and bloodshed — but it fell through at the last minute, The Independent reported on Thursday. 

Former Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Store told the British newspaper that a draft text was agreed between Gaddafi’s son Saif Al-Islam and senior opposition figure Aly Zeidan, who would later become prime minister of Libya’s National Transitional Council.

Norwegian diplomats hammered out a transition plan, the first line of which stated: “Colonel Gaddafi has decided to leave power and step aside and to end the first phase of the revolution.”

But the fate of the country’s erratic leader, who had been in power for 42 years, remained a sticking point. Specifically, he refused to leave the country after stepping down.

“People very close to Gaddafi, people in the legal apparatus, in his family, supported what was on the table,” said Staale Wiig, a Norwegian biographer of Store who first uncovered the existence of the negotiations years after the war.

“But the final mile was for Gaddafi to say ‘I agree to move into exile’ or where he would live.”

Store said the Libyan leadership was not the only roadblock to a peaceful transition. According to him, the US was keen on the deal but Britain and France had reservations.

“I felt that the mindset in London and Paris didn’t have openings for really reflecting on the diplomatic option. Were (France and Britain) willing to look at something beyond military solutions? The jury is still out,” Store said.

“Had there been in the international community a willingness to pursue this track with some authority and dedication, I believe there could have been an opening to achieve a less dramatic outcome and avoid the collapse of the Libyan state. Had there been a will to do it ... one could have imagined some kind of ceasefire in the military campaign to allow diplomats to move in,” he added.

“But the military operation had already lasted for eight weeks, the dynamic on the ground was changing, and frankly speaking the will to rally behind such a process was not there.”

Libya has been in a state of perpetual conflict since Gaddafi violently suppressed a popular uprising in 2011.

At the time, he pledged to crush the “rats on the streets,” and his threats eventually prompted a UN-backed intervention to prevent him from murdering his own citizens.

The intervention — led by the US, the UK and France — saw 7,000 bombs dropped on Gaddafi’s forces over seven months, and eventually led to his overthrow and death.

Since then, Libya has suffered from incursions from Daesh-affiliated militants, a civil war that has seen extensive involvement from outside powers, and the death of thousands of civilians and combatants.

Earlier this month, a peace deal was agreed between the country’s two warring sides — based in Benghazi and Tripoli — but observers have said Libya remains on the brink of a resumption of conflict.


Iranian combat drone crashes into restaurant in Jordan’s capital, Amman

Updated 11 sec ago
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Iranian combat drone crashes into restaurant in Jordan’s capital, Amman

  • Jordanian army says the Shahed 101 device had an explosive warhead but it did not detonate on impact
  • Residential buildings in Abu Nseir and Azraq were recently hit, and 27 intact drones with explosive payloads crashed in uninhabited parts of the country

LONDON: An Iranian Shahed 101 combat drone crashed into a building in the Umm Uthaina area of Jordan’s capital, Amman, on Monday.

Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hyari, a spokesperson for the Jordanian army, said the drone had an explosive warhead but did not detonate on impact when it hit the patio of a restaurant in Umm Uthaina. There were no injuries and military engineers dismantled the device.

Recently, two drones struck residential buildings in Abu Nseir and Azraq, he said, and 27 intact drones with explosive payloads crashed in uninhabited parts of the country. In addition, hundreds of drone and missile parts fell onto Jordanian territory, Hyari added, but did not cause significant damage or serious injuries. He urged Jordanians to seek shelter when sirens sound, the Jordan News Agency reported.

Tensions have been rising in the region since a conflict between Israel and Iran began on June 13, sparking fears of a full-scale war across the Middle East. The two countries have continued to exchange attacks since then, and the situation escalated on Sunday when the US carried out airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites.


Iran confirms missile attacks on US bases in Qatar and Iraq

Updated 58 sec ago
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Iran confirms missile attacks on US bases in Qatar and Iraq

  • Qatar condemned attack, calling it “flagrant violation” of sovereignty
  • UAE “closely monitoring ongoing regional developments” and “continuously assessing the situation”

DOHA: Iran confirmed it launched missile attacks Monday on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites and escalating tensions in the volatile region, state media said.

Iran launched six missiles toward Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, as the sound of several explosions were heard over Doha.

The announcement was made on state television as martial music played. A caption on the screen called it “a mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America’s aggression.”

Qatar said it “successfully intercepted” missiles targeting the US base, and added it reserved the right to respond directly and in accordance with international law following the strikes.

It said it condemned the attack, calling it a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty.

“We express the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation of the attack on Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law,” foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said in a statement.

The Gulf nation had announced earlier Monday it had closed its air space temporarily to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. Also on Monday, the US embassy in Qatar had advised Americans to shelter in place, out of what it said was “an abundance of caution.”

“The White House and the Department of Defense are aware of, and closely monitoring, potential threats to Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar,” a senior White House official said.

The UAE is closely monitoring the ongoing regional developments and is continuously assessing the situation, a government spokesperson said.

“This approach froms part of the UAE's interegrated national framework for emergency and crisis management, which prioritizses public safety and the continuity of operations across all sectors,” the spokesperson added. 

UAE airspace had also been closed, according to flight path data and air traffic control audio cited by FlightRadar.

Bahrain said sirens sounded in Manama with citizens and residents urged to remain calm and head to nearest safe place, according to an Interior Ministry post on X. It also suspended air traffic temporarily on Monday.

“The Civil Aviation Affairs of the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications announced the temporary suspension of air navigation in the skies of the Kingdom of Bahrain as a precautionary measure in light of recent regional developments,” said a statement carried by the official Bahrain News Agency.

Kuwait Airways, in a post on X, said departure flights had been suspended due to the regional developments.


European Commission allocates $230 million to support Palestinians

Updated 23 June 2025
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European Commission allocates $230 million to support Palestinians

  • UNRWA to receive €52 million ($58 million) to support its education, healthcare, and relief services for Palestinian refugees
  • Dubravka Suica, commissioner for the Mediterranean, said: ‘Our support to the Palestinian people remains steadfast’

LONDON: The European Commission announced on Monday that it has allocated $230 million to support the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and the Palestinian Authority.

On Monday, the commission announced that it had allocated €150 million ($172 million) to the PA to ensure the delivery of essential public services, including payment of salaries for teachers, civil servants, and healthcare workers. This financial support is contingent upon the implementation of the reform agenda, it added.

UNRWA received €52 million ($58 million) to support its education, healthcare, and relief services for Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Since late 2023, UNRWA has been crucial in providing aid and shelter to millions of Palestinians in Gaza amid ongoing Israeli attacks, some of which targeted UN staff and UNRWA facilities.

Dubravka Suica, the commissioner for the Mediterranean, said: “Our support to the Palestinian people remains steadfast.

“With this (first) disbursement of €202 million to the Palestinian Authority and the UN Agency UNRWA, we reaffirm our unwavering political and financial commitment,” she added.

The funds are part of the commission’s Palestine Recovery and Resilience program for 2025-2026, amounting to up to €1.6 billion ($1.84 billion), in which the EU reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian people and its commitment to a two-state solution, as announced in April during the EU-Palestinian Authority high-level political dialogue.

“The EU is deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the worsening conditions in the West Bank. We remain firmly committed to a just and lasting peace, grounded in a negotiated two-state solution,” Suica added.


Syria interior ministry announces arrests over Damascus church attack

Updated 23 June 2025
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Syria interior ministry announces arrests over Damascus church attack

  • The shooting and suicide bombing Sunday at the church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital killed 25 people and wounded 63

DAMASCUS: Syrian leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa vowed Monday that those involved in a “heinous” suicide attack on a Damascus church would face justice, as he called for unity in the diverse, multi-faith country.

The shooting and suicide bombing Sunday at the church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital killed 25 people and wounded 63, the health ministry said.

Syria’s interior ministry said Monday that authorities had arrested several suspects in connection with the suicide attack, with the minister saying the operation targeted cells affiliated with the Daesh group.

A ministry statement reported the arrest of “a number of criminals involved in the attack” during a security operation near Damascus, while Interior Minister Anas Khattab said the operation targeted “positions of terrorist cells linked to the Daesh group.”

Daesh has not yet claimed the attack.

“We promise... that we will work night and day, mobilizing all our specialized security agencies, to capture all those who participated in and planned this heinous crime and bring them to justice,” interim President Sharaa said in a statement.

The attack follows incidents of sectarian violence in recent months, with security one of the greatest challenges for the new authorities.

The attack “reminds us of the importance of solidarity, and unity of the government and the people in facing all that threatens our nation’s security and stability,” Sharaa said.

The spokesman for Antonio Guterres said the UN Secretary-General strongly condemned the attack and expressed his “deepest condolences” to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured.

He added that Guterres said that all perpetrators of terrorism must be held accountable, and called for a full investigation.

“The Secretary-General reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to supporting the Syrian people in their pursuit of peace, dignity, and justice,” the statement added.

The attack was the first suicide bombing in a church in Syria since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

It was also the first attack of its kind in the Syrian capital since Assad’s ouster.

A prayer service at the church is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. (1500 GMT).

Since the new authorities took power, the international community has repeatedly urged them to protect minorities and ensure their participation in Syria’s transition, particularly after the recent violence.

Interior ministry spokesman Noureddine Al-Baba said Sunday that “the security of places of worship is a red line, and all efforts will be made to ensure people’s freedom to perform their religious rites.”Daesh “aims to sow sectarian division and incite all components of Syrian society to take up arms, seeking to show that the Syrian state is unable to protect its communities and citizens,” he told a press conference.

The top cleric of Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority, Grand Mufti Osama Al-Rifai, condemned acts of violence and terrorism in a statement Monday.

“We express our complete rejection of targeting places of worship and terrorizing believers,” he said.

Foreign condemnation of the attack continued to roll in on Monday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkiye would not allow extremists to drag Syria back into chaos and instability, vowing that Turkiye would “continue to support the Syrian government’s fight against terrorism.”

Turkiye, which is close to the new authorities, has repeatedly offered its operational and military support to fight Daesh and other militant threats.

French President Emmanuel Macron also denounced the “horrible” attack, while the EU said it “stands in solidarity” with Syria in combating ethnic and religious violence.

“It is a grave reminder of the need to intensify efforts against the terrorist threat and to ensure the enduring defeat of Daesh and other terrorist organizations,” spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said.

Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed anger after the attack on the Greek Orthodox Church, calling on the new authorities “to take concrete measures to protect all ethnic and religious minorities.”

Syria’s Christian community has shrunk from around one million before the war to fewer than 300,000 due to waves of displacement and emigration.

Daesh seized large swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in the early years of the civil war, declaring a cross-border “caliphate” in 2014.

The militants were territorially defeated in Syria 2019 but have maintained a presence, particularly in the country’s vast desert.


Jordanian king, Omani sultan discuss Iran-Israel conflict, call for peaceful dialogue

Updated 23 June 2025
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Jordanian king, Omani sultan discuss Iran-Israel conflict, call for peaceful dialogue

  • They stressed the need to intensify coordination to extinguish the fires of conflict in Gaza and between Israel and Iran
  • King Abdullah emphasized that peace in the region cannot be achieved without a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue

LONDON: Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman and King Abdullah II of Jordan discussed the Iran-Israel conflict and the serious repercussions of the escalation of tensions in the region.

During a call on Monday, they stressed the need to intensify coordination to extinguish the fires of conflict in the Gaza Strip and the ongoing tensions resulting from Israeli actions against Iran, the Oman News Agency reported.

They also called for peaceful dialogue and negotiation to find political solutions to regional issues that align with international law, ensuring security and stability, the ONA added.

King Abdullah emphasized that peace in the region cannot be achieved without a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue based on a two-state solution, the Petra news agency reported.

The Iran-Israel conflict has escalated following US strikes on three nuclear sites inside Iran on Sunday. Tel Aviv and Tehran have exchanged attacks over the past 11 days, risking a full-scale war in the Middle East.