Tripoli, 12 October 2013:
The road between Tarhuna and Bani Walid was reopened tonight, after a six-day closure following an ambush on a military checkpoint that left 17 soldiers dead.
Deputy head of Tarhuna Local Council, Mohammed Allowaar, said that an Eid agreement had been reached with some soldiers’ families and young people in the area.
He called upon the government and Ministries of Interior and Defence to take responsibility for any consequences of the road being reopened, according to Libyan news agency LANA.
The road was closed on Sunday by militiamen, the day after the 15 soldiers were killed at the Al-Malti gate checkpoint on the road. Two more later died of their injuries.
A sick child died as a result of the road closure because the ambulance could not get to Tripoli fast enough, said acting head of Bani Walid local council Ali Zawam. He added that the road closure had increased the sense of isolation already felt by the people of Bani Walid. [/restrict]
