Emirates and Egypt Said to Secretly Attack Militia in Libya
Source: New York Times
Twice in the last seven days, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have secretly teamed up to launch airstrikes against Islamist-allied militias battling for control of Tripoli, Libya, four senior American officials said, in a major escalation between the supporters and opponents of political Islam.
The United States, the officials said, was caught by surprise: Egypt and the Emirates, both close allies and military partners, acted without informing Washington or seeking its consent, leaving the Obama administration on the sidelines. Egyptian officials explicitly denied the operation to American diplomats, the officials said.
The strikes are the most high-profile and high-risk salvo unleashed in a struggle for power that has broken out across the region in the aftermath of the Arab Spring revolts, pitting old-line Arab autocrats against Islamists.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/26/world/middleeast/egypt-and-united-arab-emirates-said-to-have-secretly-carried-out-libya-airstrikes.html?emc=edit_na_20140825
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CAIRO Aug 25 (Reuters) - Libya's neighbours agreed on Monday not to intervene in Libyan affairs to end chaos and clashes in the oil producer, calling instead for a national dialogue, according to the final communique after a foreign ministers' meeting in Egypt.
"This joint initiative of the neighbouring countries is based on the main principles of ... non-intervention in Libya's domestic affairs," the statement read.
Libya's ambassador to Cairo had earlier demanded the international community to help protect oilfields, airports and other state assets. (Reporting by Ulf Laessing, Ali Abdelatti and Yasmine Saleh; Editing by Alison Williams)
http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFL5N0QV31320140825
