LONDON British bank Barclays on Friday reported a first-half net loss after it offloaded part of its African business. Barclays posted a loss after tax of £1.21 billion in the six months to the end of June compared with the first half of 2016, when it had reported a net profit of £1.11 billion. A loss after tax related to the discontinued part of its African banking unit came in at nearly £2.2 billion, Barclays added in a statement. Barclays has reduced its stake in its African operations as part of a global strategic re-think unveiled last year. It recently sold 33.7 percent of Barclays Africa for £2.22 billion as the bank focuses attention on its two core markets of Britain and the United States. Barclays though still wishes to keep its remaining stake of about 15 percent in the African business.