By Noora Ibrahim and Moutaz Ahmed.
Benghazi, 24 July 2014:
Eight people have been killed and 19 injured, six of them critically, . . .[restrict]in missile and bomb attacks in Benghazi yesterday.
The fighting continued into the night with forces from Brega and Ajdabiya loyal to Ibrahrim Jadhran and those of the Al-Ahdaf Al-Hayawiya from both Tobruk and Beida joining on the side of Operation Dignity, according to the head of Saiqa Special Forces Investigations Unit Fadel Al-Hassi.
Benghazi Medical Centre (BMC) asked all medical personnel to report for duty at the hospital as staff struggle to deal with the casualties. Meanwhile residents evacuated their homes in the city’s Tabalino district as missiles fell on the nearby February 17 Brigade camp. The brigade is allied to Ansar Al-Sharia.
Hassi claimed that 17 February forces had begun firing grad missiles across the city, concentrating their fire on the Saiqa Special forces base in Buatni. Rockets have also been reported landing in the Laithi, Fuwayhat, Garyounis and Tabalino districts.
The majority of the fighting on the ground seems to be focused in Buatni where many of the roads have been blocked with piles of sand after clashes between Saiqa and Ansar two days ago. Eye witnesses there reported tanks being deployed as Ansar made another assault.
Air Force Brigadier-General Saqr Adam Geroushi, the commander of Operation Dignity’s air forces said raids had been carried out over several areas since Maghreb prayers last night but would not specify which targets had been attacked.
The latest fighting in Benghazi is seen as a response by militants to calls yesterday from Saiqa Special Forces Commander, Wanis Bukhamada, who demanded that reinforcements be sent to Benghazi to help crush Ansar after its attack on the 318 Brigade’s headquarters two days ago.
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