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Libya’s parliament wants the government it has appointed under Fathi Bashagha to be based for now in Sirte, it said on Tuesday, amid a stalemate over control of the capital Tripoli where another administration refuses to hand over power. The move represents the clearest acknowledgement since the parliament appointed Bashagha in March that he cannot take over in Tripoli yet with Libya paralysed by its crisis of two governments. Deadlock between Bashagha and Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, who was appointed prime minister last year, risks igniting a new round of conflict in Libya after two years of compa… Continue reading “Libyan parliament says Bashagha govt should start work in Sirte”

Like all countries which border Syria, Turkey has had to react to the worst of that country’s decade-long civil war. Millions of Syrians have fled, and tens of millions have been displaced. According to United Nations numbers, Turkey is currently hosting up to 3.6 million Syrian refugees – although the true number is likely larger. Many Syrians are not registered either with the Turkish state or with UN agencies. That number of people poses an administrative and financial challenge, but even more so, it is a political problem. Over the past ten years, Turkey’s government has dealt with hostili… Continue reading “Turkish politics and the future of Syrian refugees”