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Bukhamada calls for reinforcements, wages war against Ansar Al-Sharia
[Libya Herald] Saiqa Special Forces
...Libya's elite army unit, insofar as they have one, formed from a mixture of paratroopers and commandos. The group emerged from a militia with the same name in 2010. It now numbers a few thousand and reports to the Ministry of Defence. It deployed in Benghazi in an attempt to control the carnage. As a result, it has been attacked and several of its officers murdered. The force is popular in Benghazi for its stance against Ansar al-Sharia group...
Commander, Wanis Bukhamada, has demanded that reinforcements be sent to Benghazi to help crush Ansar al-Sharia
...a Salafist militia which claims it is not part of al-Qaeda, even though it works about the same and for the same ends. There are groups of the same name in Libyaand Yemen, with the Libyan versions currently most active. Tunisia's Shabaab al-Tawhid started out an Ansar al-Sharia and changed its name in early 2014. It still uses the old name now and then, probably because the stationery's not all used up and the web site hasn't expired yet...
after the attack on the 316 Brigade's headquarters two days ago.

In a statement last night, Bukhamada demanded that all Libyan military forces in the east as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Army go to Benghazi to defend it against what he called as"terrorists".

He also announced that all Special Forces soldiers were on alert and that they would react strongly to any assault on its camps or on Benghazi.

Calling on all Libyans to take a stand against "these terrorist groups", he also urged the government to take a firm position regarding them. Moreover, he demanded that the "real revolutionaries" also clearly define their position in light of the attacks.

What had happened to the 316 Brigade was an act of terror, he said.

The attack was the third against army facilities, he added, noting that the group had previously attacked the Benghazi Security Directorate and the Zawia Martyrs Brigade headquarters.

"We are preparing ourselves to respond rightly," said Bukhamada. "We hereby announce that we are launching a full-blown operation against these "terrorists". Forces from the Libyan Army, as well as members of the Petroleum Facility Guards (PFG) are currently passing through Tobruk and Beida to join us in the fight for Benghazi."
Posted by: Fred 2014-07-24
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=396278