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| Africa North |
| Benghazi violence: 14 killed and 50 wounded in two days of fighting |
| 2014-10-05 |
| [Libya Herald] After some of the fiercest fighting so far in 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 Libya and 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... 's attempt to capture Bnenia airbase, a total of 14 troops from Operation Dignity have been killed and 50 maimed in two days of fighting. Medics at Benghazi Medical Centre (BMC) told the Libya Herald that two more members of the Dignity forces had been killed today in the festivities and five maimed. Yesterday, it was reported that at least 12 soldiers had been killed and 45 maimed on in this latest assault on airbase According to the Head of 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... Investigations Unit, Fadel Al-Hassi, seven soliders were critically maimed and taken to Marj hospital today. He also disclosed that in response to the latest attack, military planes and helicopters had this afternoon bombed targets in the 17 February Brigade's headquarters and those of the Benghazi Revolutionaries' Shoura Council (BRSC) in Hawari and BRSC facilities in Gwarsha. He accused Ansar and the BRSC of rejecting the Eid truce announced by General Staff. Fighting stopped this evening around sunset. It is, however, but is expected to begin again tomorrow morning. A pattern of fighting during the day but not at night has emerged. On Thursday 24 soldiers being killed and 12 maimed, according to the government. Medical reports, however, put Thursday's toll at 29 dead and dozens maimed. These are only the casualties on the army's side. The number of BRSC's dead and maimed has not been disclosed. |
| Posted by:Fred |