Alinea 36 Raad van State 27 februari 2015

"Fierce clashes raged in Benghazi yesterday, leaving more than 20 people dead, on the third day of an offensive by pro-government forces to recapture Libya’s second city from Islamist militias. The latest fighting was the most violent since forces of former general Khalifa Haftar launched the assault on Wednesday with the backing of army units and civilians who have taken up arms. Benghazi Medical Centre said the 18 dead were mostly soldiers and their civilian supporters in the central district of Al-Majouri. There was no word on casualties on the side of the Islamists, who rarely announce their losses. Another four people died after a suicide bomber blew up his car at a checkpoint in the central Benghazi district of Boudhima. The suicide bomber was among the dead, Benghazi Medical Centre said. In a statement on a pro-Haftar television station, Al-Karama, the retired general said he was "satisfied with the results of the battle for Benghazi" and vowed that "victory is near". At least 52 people have been killed in the three days of what Haftar has called an operation to "liberate" Benghazi, according to hospital figures. […] Residents said the two sides were using weapons of all calibres in street fighting in a densely-populated district. The Libyan Red Crescent called for a ceasefire to allow families to flee the combat zone on its Facebook page. Elsewhere, air raids struck Islamist targets in Al-Lithi, Al-Massaken and Bouatni, witnesses said. […]"

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