Clashes in Libyan city of Benghazi
February 21, 2016
Medical officials said on Saturday that clashes between government forces and militant fighters in Benghazi claimed the lives of at least 14 people.
It is currently unclear as to which group the militants belong to, but forces loyal to the internationally recognized government have been battling Islamist extremists for several months.
A military spokesman told Reuters news agency most of the fighting had been in the neighborhood of Boatni.
Threat of terrorism
The incident comes a day after US forces launched an air strike on a suspected militant camp in the western part of the country. It was later reported that two of the victims were Serbian nationals who had been abducted in November.
Two governments - one based in the capital of Tripoli, the other in the east of the country - have been vying for power since the 2011 revolution led to the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
Meanwhile, officials have expressed concern over the return of Tunisians who had left to train with Islamist groups in countries like Syria and Iraq. Some 3,000 Tunisians have travelled abroad to join forces with those groups, including IS.
blc/bw (Reuters, AFP)