Germany's Merkel to host Libya conference Jan. 19 in Berlin

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is inviting world powers to a summit in Berlin on Sunday Jan. 19 to discuss efforts to broker peace in Libya. (Reuters)
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Updated 14 January 2020
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Germany's Merkel to host Libya conference Jan. 19 in Berlin

  • Officials from UAE and other Arab countries invited
  • Merkel decided to host meeting after consulting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel is inviting world powers to a summit in Berlin on Sunday Jan. 19 to discuss efforts to broker peace in Libya.

Merkel's office said in a statement Tuesday that the German leader had decided to host the meeting after consulting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Germany has invited Fayez Al-Sarraj, head of the administration in Tripoli, and General Khalifa Haftar of the rival Libyan National Army to the meeting.

Officials from the US, Russia, UK, France, China, UAE, Turkey as well as several African and Arab countries are also invited.


US kills Al-Qaeda affiliate leader tied to December attack in Syria, Centcom says

Updated 57 min 11 sec ago
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US kills Al-Qaeda affiliate leader tied to December attack in Syria, Centcom says

  • Bilal Hasan Al-Jasim had “direct ties” to a Daesh gunman who killed and injured US and Syrian ⁠personnel

WASHINGTON: US military forces on Friday killed an Al-Qaeda affiliate leader linked to a Daesh attack on Americans in Syria last month, US Central Command ⁠said in a statement on Saturday.
Bilal Hasan Al-Jasim had “direct ties” to a Daesh gunman who killed and injured US and Syrian ⁠personnel on December 13 in Palmyra, Syria, Central Command said.

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, ⁠the head of US Central Command, in a statement.
Since the December 13 attack, US forces have been conducting strikes in Syria, with the US military saying it has hit more than 100 Daesh targets.