Tobruk Archives - Jean-Jacques Cornish

Rescued refugees say hundreds drowned in Mediterranean

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 22:00:00 +0000

African refugees being held in Greece say hundreds drowned when a boat sank in the Mediterranean.

There’s no official confirmation of what would be one of the biggest disasters involving Africans desperately trying to get to Europe.

Ends intro

From the refugee camp in Kalamata, 41 survivors rescued by a Filipino cargo ship say there were at least 500 people on the ship that sank.

260 Ethiopians, Sudanese, Somalis and Egyptians set out from Tobruk in Libya last week.

At sea, the people traffickers transferred them to a larger ship carrying more than 300 migrants.

The survivors say that ship sank and they were some of the few saved.

Almost a year ago, an estimated 800 refugees drowned when trapped on an overcrowded fishing boat that sank in the Mediterranean.

The post Rescued refugees say hundreds drowned in Mediterranean appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

Saif al Islam Gadaffi sentenced to death

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 22:00:00 +0000

A Libyan court’s sentenced Saif al Islam Gadaffai, the son of the country’s late dictator Muammar to death.
He was on trial with eight others charged with war crimes linked to the 2011 revolution in which his father died.
ends intro
Saif al Islam is the Gadaffi brother who had protracted dealings with South African officials who – like many others – pegged him as the man to succeed his father.
During his trial, along with dozens of other close associates of the deposed leader accused of suppressing protests during the uprising, he gave evidence via video link.
Saif al-Islam is being held by a former rebel group from the town of Zintan that refuses to release him.
Libya is effectively divided in two with Western power rejecting the Islamist faction in Tripoli and recognising the administration in Tobruk.

The post Saif al Islam Gadaffi sentenced to death appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.