libya forces make key benghazi gains
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

A key central neighbourhood

Libya forces make key Benghazi gains

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Libya forces make key Benghazi gains

A fighter loyal to Libya's internationally recognised government checks
Benghazi - Arab Today

Forces loyal to Libya's internationally recognised government seized a key central neighbourhood of second city Benghazi from Islamist militias on Tuesday, the military said.

The advance came as Libya's parliament again failed to vote on a UN-backed unity government seen as a crucial step in ending years of political chaos and conflict in the North African state.

Special forces retook the Benghazi area of Lithi, which had been a stronghold for extremist fighters including the Islamic State group, after days of fierce clashes.

Fadel al-Hassi of Libya's special forces said the neighbourhood was "totally liberated".

Libya has had rival administrations since the summer of 2014 when the recognised government fled Tripoli after the Fajr Libya militia alliance including Islamists overran the capital.

A power vacuum since the 2011 toppling of dictator Moamer Kadhafi has fostered the rise of IS, which is currently headquartered in the former dictator's hometown of Sirte, but control of Benghazi remains divided between a collection of militias.

Fighting has flared periodically in Benghazi as security forces try to wrest neighbourhoods from armed groups including IS and Ansar al-Sharia, which is close to Al-Qaeda.
Lithi had become notorious as a jihadist nerve centre, dubbed by locals as "Benghazi's Kandahar" -- a reference to the Afghan province that has seen some of the worst insurgent attacks since the US invasion of 2001.

Residents celebrated alongside loyalist fighters, some flashing victory signs next to the bombed-out shells of buildings while others fired celebratory shots into the air.

Some residents also drove into Lithi honking their horns and flashing their lights after security forces allowed them to assess the damage to their homes.

"Today we came back to our house, after a long time, almost one year," one resident said, adding that his family would not be able to move back immediately because their house was damaged.

Army chief General Khalifa Haftar, who spearheaded the Benghazi battle, issued a video statement praising the latest breakthrough which he said was the fruit of "much patience".

- Italy-US drone plan -
Libya's conflict has alarmed Western governments over the prospect of extremist groups including IS establishing a bridgehead just 300 kilometres (190 miles) from Europe.

Italy said on Tuesday it had given the US permission to use an airbase in Sicily to launch drone strikes against IS in Libya.

Defence minister Roberta Pinotti told the daily Il Messaggero that any strike would be subject to an individual authorisation request to the Italian government and that they would only be used as a "last resort".

US warplanes flying from a Royal Air Force base in Britain attacked an IS training camp in the western Libyan city of Sabratha last week, killing more than 40 people including two Serbian diplomats being held hostage.

On Tuesday, a group of fighters loyal to Fajr Libya battled IS extremists near Sabratha, the city's mayor Hussein al-Dawadi said, adding that four of the fighters were killed in the clashes.

Meanwhile, the internationally recognised parliament based in the eastern town of Tobruk failed to hold a vote of confidence in a new, UN-brokered unity government because it lacked a quorum.
"The required quorum (89 members of parliament) was not reached, so the president of the chamber adjourned the session," MP Mohamed al-Abbani told AFP.

Lawmaker Ali Al-Qaidi said a new session would be held next week.

- Loyalist gains -

UN envoy Martin Kobler voiced his disappointment at the postponement.

"Concerned by slowness of (political) process in Libya, overtaken by military events, must speed up to stop Da'esh expansion," Kobler tweeted, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

After launching a major Benghazi offensive at the weekend, loyalists seized Al-Marayseh port in the west of the city, as well as three army bases that had been overrun by Islamist fighters in its southern and southeastern regions.

Medical sources in Benghazi said that more than 20 loyalist fighters have died since the assault began.

The foreign ministry in Tripoli, home to the unrecognised government, denounced the Benghazi military operations as "unjustified" and an obstacle to peace.

Black smoke could be seen rising in Benghazi while many buildings bore the impact of bullets and rockets and rubble was strewn in the streets.

Lieutenant Ali el-Jeroushi, on the side of the loyalists, pointed out Islamic slogans scrawled on the facades of some buildings, including one reading "the Islamic State is here and spreading".

In the coastal city of Derna, 300 kilometres east of Benghazi, six fighters died in clashes with IS, a local official told AFP, adding that a senior member of the jihadist group was also killed.
Source :AFP

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

libya forces make key benghazi gains libya forces make key benghazi gains

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

libya forces make key benghazi gains libya forces make key benghazi gains

 



GMT 13:10 2017 Thursday ,04 May

Russia, Turkey, sign pact on safe zones in Syria

GMT 07:32 2012 Tuesday ,24 January

Inkless Graphite Quill, last up 9 years

GMT 12:38 2014 Wednesday ,04 June

Messi world's most valuable player

GMT 08:42 2012 Thursday ,06 September

Latest Gigaset touch phone now in Qatar

GMT 14:56 2017 Monday ,31 July

Daesh claims attack on Iraq embassy in Kabul

GMT 11:13 2016 Wednesday ,12 October

And it’s a wrap at Arab Fashion Week!

GMT 09:56 2018 Wednesday ,17 January

Tripoli flights still suspended after fighting

GMT 10:52 2017 Friday ,29 September

May says 'very good progress' on citizens' rights

GMT 15:40 2018 Monday ,01 January

Dora: Her role in new drama is surprise

GMT 07:54 2017 Thursday ,23 November

Saeed Hasban hails achievement

GMT 09:13 2017 Saturday ,16 September

Facebook to decide who can cash in on ads
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice