AFP/Benghazi
Nine people were killed yesterday in new violence in Benghazi where pro-government forces have launched an offensive against Islamist militias, raising the toll to 75 dead in five days, medics said.
In the latest violence a woman was killed in a bomb attack that targeted the vacant house of former general Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the offensive launched on Wednesday, a military source said.
The woman was walking past the house with her daughter, who was wounded in the bombing, said the Benghazi Medical Centre, adding that it had also received the bodies of eight other people including two soldiers.
Fierce fighting raged in several parts of Libya’s second city between pro-government forces led by Haftar and Islamist militias.
Air raids carried out by units of the air force loyal to Haftar pounded Islamist positions.
On Saturday the United States joined Britain, France, Germany and Italy in calling for an “immediate” end to long-running violence there between government forces and militias.
Since a 2011 revolution that toppled Libya’s long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi, interim authorities have failed to establish a regular army and had to rely on state-backed militias.
The European powers and the United States said they were “concerned” by the operations carried out by Haftar, although he has the backing of army units while civilians too have taken up arms.
Members of the Military College of Engineering from Misrata and Zliten arrange unexploded munitions, found around Tripoli’s international airport afte
