Portal:Current events/2012 October 20
October 20, 2012 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Syrian civil war: UN and Arab League special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi meets with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem in Damascus in an attempt to push for a temporary ceasefire during next week's Eid al-Adha holiday. (Al Jazeera)
- 2011–present Libyan factional fighting:
- Authorities in Tripoli announce the capture of Muammar Gaddafi's former spokesman Moussa Ibrahim near the town of Tarhouna, 40 miles south of the capital Tripoli. Ibrahim's whereabouts had been unknown since the end of the civil war in 2011 and there had been several earlier reports of his arrest. Hours later an audio message purported to be by Ibrahim appears online, in which he denies being captured or even being in Libya. (Reuters) (BBC)
- Siege of Bani Walid (2012): Reports emerge that Khamis Gaddafi, the youngest son of Muammar Gaddafi, was killed during the fighting in Bani Walid. The 29-year-old has been proclaimed dead several times since the beginning of last year's civil war. (The Guardian)
- The United Nations Security Council announces plans to impose sanctions on the leaders of Democratic Republic of the Congo's M23 rebel movement due to violations of an arms embargo. (Al Jazeera)
- Suspected members of Boko Haram attack the northern Nigerian city of Potiskum, destroying several buildings and leaving at least 23 locals dead. (Al Jazeera)
- Overnight clashes in southeastern Turkey leave 9 people dead, including 6 security officers and 3 suspected Kurdish militants. (Al Jazeera)
Disasters
- Hundreds of pilgrims are evacuated from the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France following severe flooding in the area. (BBC)
International relations
- The SV Estelle, a schooner attempting to breach the Israeli blockade of Gaza claiming to deliver humanitarian aid, is boarded by Israeli soldiers and diverted to the port of Ashdod by Israeli naval ships; Israel says no aid is found aboard. Passengers offer no resistance. (The Irish Times) (The Times of Israel)
- Jewish-American linguist, philosopher and human rights campaigner Noam Chomsky visits Gaza for the first time and attends a seminar alongside Gazan thinkers and intellectuals. (Press TV)
Politics