Il processo di ritiro delle milizie dalle aree urbane libiche sta avvenendo così lentamente, che si é quasi fermato, Sadat Elbadri, ha dichiarato il capo del Consiglio locale di Tripoli, Sadat Elbadri, denunciando lo stop del ritiro agli altri capi dei Consigli libici riunitisi a Tripoli. Il 15 novembre scorso almeno 45 persone sono morte e più di 500 ferite in seguito agli scontri avvenuti nel quartiere Ghargour di Tripoli, quando uomini armati hanno aperto il fuoco contro un gruppo di manifestanti che chiedevano maggiore sicurezza nella capitale libica. Più precisamente, la manifestazione era stata indetta per chiedere l’evacuazione da Tripoli delle milizie al-Nusour, provenienti da Misurata e protagoniste di numerosi episodi di violenza. L’elevato bilancio delle vittime e la criticità della situazione hanno messo in luce tutte le fragilità delle nuove istituzioni libiche. Oltretutto, il giorno successivo, nuovi scontri si sono verificati a Tajoura, alla periferia della capitale, tra milizie locali e quelle provenienti da Misurata, mentre un’altra milizia, questa volta governativa, conosciuta come Libya Shield si è assicurata il controllo di Ghargour riuscendo ad allontanare dalla capitale le brigate al-Nusour. Come appare evidente anche da altri numerosi episodi di violenza all’interno del paese, la situazione risulta oramai fuori controllo. Il fenomeno delle “Kataeb” (brigate, milizie armate), costituite su base localistica è oramai una realtà affermata in Libia sin dallo scoppio della guerra civile e non è stata eliminata nemmeno dopo la caduta di Gheddafi. Ciò si accompagna a una particolare  struttura sociale del paese, contraddistinta da una frammentazione tribale molto accentuata, una costante della storia libica. Il fenomeno della frammentazione caratterizza, tuttavia, anche  altri settori della vita del paese, sollevando fondati timori per una possibile esplosione della Libia. 

Elbadri, told a forum  representing 34 local councils:  “We need the government to solve the problems of citizens as soon as possible. The individual wants to see something tangible achieved on the ground which touches his life.”
He commented that Law 27 for the removal of militias had been implemented too slowly, to the point that it has almost stopped. He added that the presence of heavy weapons has caused social as well as security problems.
The forum, which was attended by delegates from virtually all local councils except Misrata, discussed the general security situation and the need to strengthen border protection.
The council leaders also welcomed the local elections with are now under way on a rolling system which will be completed in February. They called them”an important step to transform revolution into the formation of a state and face future challenges.”

Source Libya Herald

Hezbollah sotto attacco in Libano: due soldati e un civile sono rimasti feriti ieri in attacchi missilistici su Hermel, chiara escalation di violenze legate alla guerra siriana. Sei razzi lanciati dalla Siria hanno colpito la città libanese nel pomeriggio di ieri, ferendo due soldati e un civile. Due gruppi sunniti hanno dichiarato congiuntamente la responsabilità dell’attacco, citando il coinvolgimento militare di Hezbollah in Siria.. L’esercito libanese ha confermato l’attacco, dicendo che uno dei razzi ha colpito una caserma nel quartiere di alle 16:30 ferendo due soldati e causando danni materiali.

The wounded soldiers were identified as Rabih Francis and Hussein al-Musawi. Both were both taken to hospital for treatment, the sources said.
Sweydan Nasreddine, a Hermel resident, was wounded when one rocket fell some 200 meters from the Army barracks, the sources said.
Areas struck by rockets included the Bditat and Morh areas, according to the sources. One rocket also hit close to Hermel’s Serail, falling just 200 meters from the government building, they added.
Rockets fired from Syrian territories have frequently targeted the east of the country this year.
Two Syrian rebel groups jointly claimed responsibility for the rocket fire: “The Nusra Front in Lebanon and the Marwan Hadid Brigades announce the targeting of strongholds of Iran’s party [Hezbollah] with 10 Grad-type rockets in the Hermel region,” they said in statement linked to on Twitter.
They added: “Hezbollah’s military intervention in Syria, the continued killing and detention of Sunni youths in Lebanon,” had prompted the attack.
The Marwan Hadid Brigades has already claimed responsibility for several rocket attacks on Hermel this year.
The attack came the same day as an explosives-laden vehicle went off near a Hezbollah post in the country’s northeast in the early hours of the morning.
Images of the site showed four burned-out vehicles, their frames mangled, strewn across a barren area near the village of Sbouba in the Bekaa Valley.
Multiple versions of what happened have emerged.
Security sources said Hezbollah fighters in a convoy were attempting to intercept the vehicle when it exploded near where the group maintains a station for rotating fighters.
The car bomb wounded at least two of the party’s fighters, the sources said.
The vehicle was rigged with 50 kilograms of explosives and was likely detonated remotely as the Hezbollah fighters approached, the sources said.
A judicial source, citing a preliminary investigation, said the vehicle used in the explosion was a Kia Cerato and had been stolen from somewhere in the Bekaa Valley.
Hezbollah cordoned off the area soon after the explosion, the source said, adding that when Military Police arrived at the scene they found several body parts and cement blocks.
Locals said Hezbollah had removed the bodies of victims before the arrival of the military. The Daily Star war unable to confirm whether there were any deaths.
Another security source said that more than 10 fighters were wounded in the attack, with Al-Jadeed TV reporting that at least one of the injured men was in a grave condition.
Military Police were reportedly collecting DNA samples to identify the body parts and determine whether a suicide bomber was involved.
Hezbollah took away two convoy vehicles that had only been slightly damaged, the source said.
The source said the cement blocks at the site were from the Hezbollah post, suggesting the station may have been the target of the attack.
In a brief statement, the Lebanese Army said that a Jeep Grand Cherokee blew up on the road to Sbouba, northwest of Baalbek, at 2:50 a.m., damaging a number of vehicles.
In its evening report on the incident, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar said that around 3:30 a.m. members of the party in a convoy of five vehicles spotted a suspicious car parked on the side of the road as they were making their way to the rotation station.
A man stepped out of the vehicle as soon as the convoy approached and the car was then remotely detonated, the television station said.
Suspecting an ambush, Hezbollah members opened fire and launched a hunt for the driver, the station said, adding that there were casualties. Hezbollah has been targeted on numerous occasions over its role in Syria, where it is fighting alongside forces loyal to President Bashar Assad against rebels.
The attack is a grave security breach of the party’s political, popular and military apparatus. The area is home to several Hezbollah camps and the road where the car bomb exploded is frequently used by the party’s military vehicles, suggesting that extensive surveillance preceded the attack.
President Michel Sleiman described the attacks in Sbouba and Hermel as the latest attempt to import terrorism into Lebanon.
He urged Lebanon to “continue fighting terrorism and confronting it with all strength,” and said the people should rally around the military and security forces.

L’ex vice presidente del Sud Sudan, Riek Machar ha categoricamente smentito l’esistenza o il suo coinvolgimento nel presunto tentativo di colpo di stato nella capitale, Juba, dichiarando che si tratterebbe dell’ennesimo tentativo antidemocratico dal presidente Salva Kiir per sbarazzarsi dei suoi avversari politici, nel partito e nel governo. Intanto, un diplomatico europeo riferisce che secondo i colleghi Usa “questa notte – tra martedì 17 e mercoledì 18 – sarà decisiva per capire se i fronti rivali troveranno una soluzione o se al contrario ci sarà un ulteriore bagno di sangue”. Gli Stati Uniti hanno deciso di sospendere tutte le normali attivita’ della loro ambasciata ed evacuare tutto il personale non essenziale.

“There was no coup. What took place in Juba was a misunderstanding between presidential guards within their division. It was not a coup attempt. I have no connection with or knowledge of any coup attempt”, said Machar.
No SPLM [Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement] official has connection with the alleged coup, he added.
President Kiir, at a press conference held on Monday, accused Machar of alleged involvement in Sunday’s attack on a military base in the country’s capital, Juba.
Unusually clad in full military attire, the president said a group of soldiers allied to Machar and his group attacked the army headquarters near Juba University.
“These attacks continued until this morning”, added Kiir, flanked by his deputy James Wani Igga and defense minister, Koul Manyang Juuk.
The South Sudanese leader described Machar as a “prophet of doom [who] continues to persistently pursue his actions of the past”, making reference to the 1991 split which saw the latter defect from rebel movement during its long civil war with Sudan.
“However, I would like to inform you, at the outset, that your government is in full control of the security situation in Juba”, assured the president.
The SPLM is fully committed to the peaceful and democratic transfer of power and will never allow political power to be transferred through violence, he added.
CALLS FOR REFORMS
But the former vice president insisted Kiir was only looking for a way to falsely accuse them in order to frustrate the democratic processes his group was persistently calling for within the country’s governing party.
Machar told Sudan Tribune the Kiir was repeatedly violating the constitution and was “no longer a legal president”.
“What we wanted was to democratically transform the SPLM. But Salva Kiir wanted to use the alleged coup attempt in order to get rid of us to control the government and the SPLM. We don’t want him the president of South Sudan any more,” he said, without further explaining his next moves.
He said he and his arrested colleagues were being victimised for no reason.
Machar also condemned Kiir’s actions for encouraging or condoning the recent massacres targeting one ethnic group in the nation’s capital in the last three days.
On Tuesday, the government in Juba said that it seeking the arrest of Machar and other officials, including suspended SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum, former Unity governor Taban Deng plus ex-ministers Alfred Lado Gore and Adwok Nyaba.
At least 10 South Sudanese officials, mainly ex-ministers, have been arrested in connection with what government says was a failed “coup attempt” in the capital.

Source Sudan Tribune

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L’ambasciatore iraniano in Russia, Mehdi Sanaie, ha detto che Teheran vorrebbe acquistare da Mosca il sistema di difesa aerea S300. Sanaie, durante una conferenza stampa, ha affermato che la Repubblica Islamica dell’Iran spera che il sistema S300 possa soddisfare il bisogno di difesa iraniano.
L’ambasciatore ha assicurato che l’Iran ritiene che l’accordo sulla consegna del sistema sia legale, in quanto il sistema è di natura difensiva. L’ambasciatore ha detto inoltre che l’accordo per l’acquistodel sistema di difesa aerea russo non viola la legge internazionale. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Am9UYI4qVA

The ambassador said that the deal to buy air defense system from Russia does not violate the international law and regulations.

The Russian governments deals with the issue with goodwill, said Sanaie, adding that he raised the delay in delivery of the air defense system with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

He hoped that the case will be closed once the S300 system is delivered to Iran.

Elsewhere in the interview, Sanaie outlined foreign policy of President Hassan Rouhani, and said constructive and effective engagement with the world, detente, reconstruction of relations with the world powers, improved ties with regional states, especially with the neighbors, expansion of relations with traditional partners in Asia and Europe make up for agenda of the new government.

The ambassador elaborated on diplomatic campaign of President Hassan Rouhani to blame the western governments for their arbitrary sanctions on Iran and said that the governments is involved in addressing the difficulties caused by the sanctions.

He said the Iranian diplomacy focuses on campaign against extremism and terrorism and spread of weapons of mass destruction and removal of ambiguities on peaceful nature of Iranˈs nuclear program.

Source IRNA

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I cristiani pagano lo scotto di non essere in grado di aiutare Damasco a resistere, oppure a cadere. Per le emigrazioni, le frizioni interne e lo scollamento della leadership dall’opinione pubblica, i maroniti rischiano anche il primato in seno al cristianesimo nazionale. Armeni e melchiti infatti sono in crescita, sia come influenza politica sia in cifre. I primi hanno fatto da ago della bilancia alle parlamentari del 2009. La loro presenza in Libano è capillare e sedimentata. Il genocidio per mano ottomana, a suo tempo, fece del paese dei cedri un primo rifugio per i sopravvissuti alla tragedia. Oggi gli armeni di Beirut, Byblos e Tripoli avvertono molto meno, rispetto ai maroniti, il bisogno di scappare: sono di loro proprietà banche, attività commerciali e patrimoni immobiliari. Il fatto di aver conservato una posizione terza durante la guerra civile li rende amici di tutti. L’unica questione che, invece, li porta ad alzare la voce è l’ipotesi che la Turchia intervenga militarmente in Siria. Per gli armeni, una dimostrazione di forza di Ankara rappresenterebbe un à rebours agli incubi del genocidio.
Discorso ulteriormente diverso per i melchiti, amici di Assad e allineati con i palestinesi nei campi profughi. Oggi nel Libano del sud la loro comunità è in crescita: melchite sono alcune nuove iniziative commerciali nel villaggio di Qana. Non è poi un caso che il patriarca Gregorio III Laham sia tanto spesso a Beirut, quando invece la sua sede episcopale è tra Damasco e Antiochia. In verità, è difficile comprendere questa chiesa sui iuris a Roma. I suoi movimenti sono lenti, e solo quando ha raggiunto uno scopo ci si rende conto del suo peso politico. A oggi, due sono le certezze: l’allineamento melchita con gli Assad e la trasformazione del Libano in un primo approdo nel caso il regime crollasse.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea launched a vehement attack on Hezbollah and the March 8 coalition Tuesday, saying the party’s military involvement in Syria has promoted terrorism in Lebanon.
“Those who took unilateral decisions brought us suicide bombers after they went to fight in Syria,” Geagea said in reference to the recent wave of suicide attacks in Lebanon.
His remarks came during a ceremony in honor of two prominent Lebanese media figures – the late Pierre Sadek and Nassir al-Asaad.
“March 8’s attitude and its decisions of war and peace, use of a weapons domestically and fighting in Syria is what fueled the wave of Takfirism,” Geagea said.
“Those responsible for the emergence of Takfiris in Lebanon are Hezbollah and the March 8 axis,” he added.
Geagea asked, “how come Hezbollah did not seek popular or political support for its military intervention in Syria but demands partnership in a future government,” adding that “the Lebanese today are in dire need of an active government that would safeguard their borders, maintain their security, revive their economy and not sacrifice them in favor of defending the Assad regime.”

Source Daily Star

Domenica sera, intorno alle  21.00 (20.00 ore italiane) , nella zona di confine fra Israele e Libano non lontano da Rosh Hanikrà, un soldato (un cecchino secondo Israele) dell’esercito libanese, ha aperto il fuoco contro una pattuglia dell’esercito israeliano in missione di pattugliamento del confine.
L’incidente a fuoco, che potrebbe aprire qualche tragico spiraglio a una ripresa dei combattimenti su un fronte che dalla guerra del 2006 era rimasto relativamente tranquillo, è costato la vita a Shlomo Cohen ufficiale dell’esercito israeliano di 31 anni che è stato ripetutamente colpito dagli spari.
L’uomo è arrivato in condizioni disperate all’ospedale ‘Est Galil’ di Nahariya ed è morto dopo pochi minuti dal ricovero senza riprendere mai conoscenza. Il tenente colonnello Peter Lerner, portavoce dell’esercito israeliano, ha denunciato il fatto alle truppe ONU presenti in zona e responsabili del cessate il fuoco, truppe attualmente comandate dal generale italiano Paolo Serra. Il colonnello Andrea Tenenti, portavoce dell’Unifil, si è per il momento limitato a dire che la missione è stata informata del ‘grave incidente’ ed è in contatto con le parti che stanno cooperando.
Dopo lo scontro a fuoco di ieri sera, l’esercito israeliano ha sparato oggi contro dei soldati libanesi nella zona di Ras al-Naqoura, sul confine sud del Libano. Le ultime notizie danno un soldato libanese colpito, lo riferiscono fonti militari libanesi.

The UN peacekeeping force along the volatile border, UNIFIL, said it called the meeting to “establish the facts and circumstances” behind the flare-up in violence and to restore a cease-fire that has been in place since a 2006 war. It said both sides pledged to preserve “calm and stability.”
In Sunday’s incident, a Lebanese sniper opened fire at an Israeli vehicle traveling near the border area of Rosh Hanikra, killing a soldier inside. Several hours later, the Israeli military said it shot two Lebanese soldiers after spotting “suspicious movement” in the same area. It was the heaviest fighting between the enemy countries in more than three years and drew condemnations and threats of retaliation from Israel.
Late Monday, the Lebanese army distanced itself from the incident, saying the shooting was the result of an “individual act” by a soldier.
It said a military committee was investigating the incident and was coordinating with the UN peacekeeping mission. With the shooter in custody, there was no word on a motive for the attack and no mention of the two soldiers allegedly shot by Israel. The Lebanese army stressed its full commitment to UN resolutions, including maintaining the 2006 cease-fire.
The tame language, and near apology for the incident, was rare for the Lebanese military, which is usually quick to point out Israeli border transgressions. It suggested that Lebanon was keen to avoid a conflagration on its border at a time of severe tensions resulting from the civil war in neighboring Syria.
Likewise, Israeli officials tried to lower the tensions. “The idea is to bring the situation back to normal and not aggravate the situation,” said Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman.
The border has remained mostly quiet since the monthlong war in the summer of 2006, though there have been sporadic outbursts of violence. In the most serious incident, Lebanese forces killed a high-ranking Israeli officer in 2010, claiming the Israeli army had crossed the border while uprooting a tree. Israel responded with artillery fire that killed three Lebanese. Given the years of enmity between the two countries, even the smallest incident raises the risk of sparking a wider conflagration.
The UN Security Council on Monday issued a statement condemning the killing of the Israeli soldier, but noting that “UNIFIL confirmed the Lebanese government’s preliminary findings which indicate that the shooting was an individual action by a soldier.”
Late Monday, UNIFIL said it had convened a meeting of senior Israeli and Lebanese officers at the Naqoura border crossing, near the site of the shooting. UNIFIL’s commander, Maj. Gen. Paolo Serra, and the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Derek Plumbly, also attended.
In a statement, Serra said preliminary findings indicated the Lebanese sniper had acted alone, in violation of operational rules and procedures. He said the sides discussed “concrete steps” to strengthen security arrangements, and emphasized their interest in preserving “calm and stability.”
“I was encouraged by the discussion at the tripartite meeting and by the way the parties approached the issues at hand,” Serro said. “They affirmed their full commitment to the cessation of hostilities.”
Lebanon and Israel have been officially at war since Israel’s creation in 1948. Each country bans its citizens from visiting the other, and there are no direct trade ties or diplomatic relations.
Their armies do not communicate directly, but in cases of increased tension exchange messages through the UN Face-to-face meetings under UN auspices like Monday’s sporadically take place, Israeli officials said.
The 2006 war broke out after Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas crossed into Israel and captured two Israeli soldiers. The ensuing monthlong conflict killed about 1,200 Lebanese and 160 Israelis.
Hezbollah has an arsenal of tens of thousands of missiles and rockets aimed at Israel, and Israeli officials say it is only a matter of time for renewed fighting against the Shiite militia. But it was not involved in Sunday’s shooting and officials believe it is not interested in fighting at the current time because it is preoccupied with the war in Syria, where it is aiding the forces of President Bashar Assad.
Israel and Lebanon have fought several wars before. In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon with the stated intention of driving Palestinian guerrillas out of the south. The Israeli military battled halfway through the country into Beirut and occupied south Lebanon until 2000.
The Lebanese are banned from calling or traveling to Israel or having contacts with Israelis. Such an offense is punishable by anything from a few weeks to life in prison with hard labor, depending on the kind and level of contact. All Israeli products are banned in the country, including Israeli films.
Israel restrictions are slightly less stringent, with phone calls to Lebanon and Lebanese film screenings permitted, though it is a punishable offense for an Israeli to visit Lebanon.
The two nation’s carriers do not fly over each other’s airspace. Travelers coming from Israel to Lebanon usually go through Jordan or Egypt. Those with Israeli stamps in their passports are deported, which forces travelers to carry a second passport.
Those who have visited in Lebanon and arrive in Israel are heavily questioned at the border or airport.

Source Arabnews.com