Middle East & North Africa

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — About 20 African migrants were found dead Thursday after their smuggling boat, which was trying to reach Europe, sank in the Mediterranean Sea, Tunisian authorities said. Five survivors were rescued and the Tunisian navy is searching for up to 20 others still believed missing.

Tunisian coast guard boats and local fishermen found the bodies off the coastal city of Sfax in central Tunisia, Defense Ministry spokesman Mohamed Ben Zekri told The Associated Press.

24 Dec 2020; MEMO: Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani reiterated on Wednesday that there is an initial deal for reconciliation among Gulf States, Reuters reported.

Al-Thani, who is also the Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs, called for de-escalating tension in the Gulf area through talks between the Gulf states and Iran.

24 Dec 2020; MEMO: The International Criminal Court (ICC) has concluded its third visit to Libya on Wednesday to investigate the crimes committed in the country by the militia of General Khalifa Haftar.

According to a statement issued by the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "The team of the International Criminal Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has completed its third visit to Libya, as part of documenting crimes committed against civilians."

24 Dec 2020; MEMO: Head of largest Algerian Movement for a Society of Peace (MSP), Abderrazak Makri, slammed the Moroccan Justice and Development party as "Zionist" and its head, Prime Minister Saad Eddine El-Othmani as a "traitor" over his country's deal to normalise ties with Israel.

24 Dec 2020; MEMO: Speaker of the Algerian People's National Assembly Slimane Chenine reaffirmed his country's firm position on the Western Sahara issue and "the people's right to determine their fate."

Chenine pointed out: "The right to self-determination is guaranteed in the Charter of the United Nations and other human rights accords."

24 Dec 2020; MEMO: Houthi militias yesterday threatened to bomb Saudi ports in the Red Sea after their oil tankers were blocked from reaching Al-Hudaydah port in Yemen, Al-Khaleej Online reported.

Foreign Minister of the Houthis' self-proclaimed National Salvation Government, Hisham Abdullah, warned that the militias would carry out revenge attacks on ports of countries which form part of the Saudi-led coalition.

24 Dec 2020; MEMO: Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has confirmed that Morocco is committed to an agreement with Israel that stipulates normalising relations between the two countries.

In an interview with Israeli news website Walla! on Wednesday in Rabat, Bourita stressed that the ties with Israel: "Will be entirely normalised, and we intend to go the whole way in this regard."

24 Dec 2020; MEMO: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Wednesday that his country would open a new page of dialogue with EU countries and the US, Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking to Justice and Development Party lawmakers, Erdoğan confirmed: "Turkey has no luxury of turning its back on either the West or the East. While maintaining good ties with the US and Europe, we cannot ignore Africa and Asia."

24 Dec 2020; MEMO: Tunisia has declared its categorical rejection of normalising relations with Israel, stressing that this decision will not be affected by ongoing international developments.

This declaration came in the first statement released by the Tunisian authorities following Morocco's announcement of its normalisation agreement with Israel.

ADEN, Dec 23 (NNN-SABA) – A prisoner swap between the government and the Houthi rebels took place successfully yesterday, in the country’s southern province of Lahj, a military official said.

Nine fighters of the Houthi rebel group were set free, in exchange for the release of five government soldiers from the militia’s jails, local military source said.

He said, the exchange of prisoners between the two rivals occurred, under the auspices of local mediators.