Both Tunisian and Egyptian security forces have battled Islamic militants infiltrating from neighboring Libya, a cauldron of political chaos and terrorism. Rival Libyan governments have complicated the already thorny security situation across vast swathes of the country and its porous border. "Libya, which is very strategic with that region that acts kind of like a bridge between that region of North Africa and central Africa, part of areas like Mali, Chad and Niger and then towards the Mediterranean in Europe. With 95 million people, Egypt is the Arab world's most populous country and its security and economic situation affects both the Middle East and North Africa. Providing jobs for them, analysts say, is the most serious challenge facing regional leaders in 2018.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 28, 2017 20:15 UTC