News in Brief
Armenia: Azerbaijan fired on EU observers
AFP – Armenia said on Tuesday that Azerbaijan’s military had opened fire on EU observers monitoring the volatile border between the Caucasian former Soviet republics, which have long-standing territorial disagreements.
“Units of the Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire from small arms targeting EU observers patrolling near Verin Shorzha and their vehicle,” Armenia’s Defence Ministry said.
There were no casualties from the gunfire that started in the east of the country at around 12:20 pm (0820 GMT), it added.
W Africa military chiefs to discuss Niger crisis
AFP – Military chiefs from the West African bloc ECOWAS will meet in Ghana on Thursday and Friday to discuss possible military intervention in Niger, regional military and political sources said Tuesday.
The meeting – originally scheduled for Saturday but then postponed – came after ECOWAS leaders last week approved deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niger, whose elected president Mohamed Bazoum was toppled on July 26.
Clashes hit Libyan capital: Residents
REUTERS – Clashes broke out in the Libyan capital Tripoli late on Monday, residents said, and flights to the city’s main airport were suspended, after the reported seizure of a powerful armed faction commander by a rival force.
“We have heard gunfire for almost two hours now and we do not know what will happen. We fear for our safety,” said one of the residents in Furnaj district.
Mahmoud Hamza, head of the 444 brigade that controls much of Tripoli, was detained at Mitiga airport by the Special Deterrence Force, local media and a source in the 444 brigade said.