Thursday, July 24, 2014

Suicide attack escalates Libya violence, oil output slips

BENGHAZI: A twin suicide bombing at a Libyan army base in Benghazi killed at least four solders in an escalation of clashes between Islamist militants and regular forces battling to oust them from the eastern city.
A first attacker blew himself up at the entrance to Benghazi’s special forces headquarters, allowing a second suicide bomber to detonate his explosives at the base and kill at least four troops, a security source said.
Suicide bombings are rare in Libya, where a fragile government is struggling to impose order. Tripoli and Benghazi are now caught up in some of the fiercest fighting between rival armed groups since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
In another blow to the government, Libya’s oil production has fallen, turning back a hard-won increase since April in revenue for the state just as it faces increased fighting around the airport in the capital and across Benghazi.
More than 40 people have died in a week of fierce clashes at Tripoli airport involving artillery, Grad rockets and anti-aircraft guns.
Fresh fighting broke out overnight on Monday in Tripoli and also Benghazi. In the eastern city, armed regular forces and troops loyal to a renegade former army general are battling Islamist militants who have entrenched themselves there. continue reading

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