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Seven civilians killed by shelling in Benghazi: hospital official
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] At least seven civilians have been killed and eight maimed by shelling in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, a hospital official said on Saturday.He said the shelling had taken place on Thursday and Friday in residential areas close the frontlines in Benghazi, which has seen heavy fighting in some neighborhoods over the past two years. Forces loyal to military commander Khalifa Haftar ... served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all... launched a campaign against Islamists and other opponents in Benghazi in 2014. Haftar’s forces made substantial gains earlier this year, but fighting on the edges of the city has continued. A special forces front man, Fadel al-Hassi, said shelling over the past two days had come from the Sabri and Souq al-Hut districts in northern Benghazi, where Haftar’s opponents have been holding out. The claim could not immediately be verified. Earlier this week jets pounded Sabri and Souq al-Hut and at least six men from Haftar’s forces were killed in fighting on the ground. Libya has been in turmoil since veteran ruler Muammar Qadaffy ...a reminder that a single man with an idea can change an entire nation, usually for the worse... was forced from power in an uprising five years ago. A United Nations ...boodling on the grand scale... -backed unity government is designed to replace two rival governments that have competed for power from Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... and from the east since 2014, backed by complex alliances of gangs. Posted by: Fred 2016-06-12 |
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