TRIPOLI // Libya’s remote southern desert has become a haven for North African militants who have set up training camps in what has traditionally been a hotbed of arms smuggling, analysts say.
Weapons looted from Muammar Qaddafi’s arsenal have made their way to the so-called “Salvador Pass”, a no-man’s land formed by the porous borders of Libya, Algeria and Niger.
For years the pass was the backyard of smugglers and traffickers through which illicit weapons flowed easily between North Africa and countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
But since the uprising that toppled Qaddafi, the activity of militants with links to Al Qaeda has flourished in the region, buoyed by the inability of the Libyan authorities to tame the armed groups.
On October 10, France said its forces had destroyed a convoy belonging to Al Qaeda’s North African branch in Niger that was carrying arms from Libya to Mali.
The operation was part of a counter-terrorism campaign led by France to flush out militants, including Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, from the Sahel region.
Militants had occupied the desert north of Mali for 10 months before they were ousted in January 2013 in a French-led military intervention.
“The south of Libya has become a hideout for extremists following the French military intervention in Mali,” said Mohamed Fazzani, an expert on militant groups.
“It is very difficult for any army to control such a vast region, unless it has sophisticated technology” because the extremists “know very well the terrain and can set up camps despite harsh conditions”.
An intelligence official said the militants have set up three “secret camps” in southern Libya where hundreds of militants are training to fight in Mali, Iraq or Syria.
“These camps have become the key providers of combat-ready jihadists,” he said.
Jason Pack, a Libya expert at Cambridge University, says militants pushed out from northern Mali have set up training camps in Libya’s south, adding that the region has become “much more” than a transit route for gunmen and smugglers.
“Drones have spotted training camps and Western intelligence officers have been to these places,” he said.
“I don’t have precise figures. But I’m sure that there are Libyans among these jihadist groups.”
Both Mr Pack and Mr Fazzani also drew links between extremists entrenched in Libya’s remote south and powerful Islamist militia in the north and east of the country.
These groups are challenging the authority of the government and the internationally recognised parliament elected in June, and have swept across the capital Tripoli and second city Benghazi in the east.
According to Fazzani the extremists in the south received logistical support from Islamists in northern Libya.
Army spokesman Colonel Ahmed Al Mesmari agreed that training camps have sprouted up in the remote south but said Libyan troops were ill-equipped and understaffed to confront the jihadists.
“The army suffers from a lack of means and cannot carry out regular patrols in these immense regions.”
* Agence France-Presse
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Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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