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By Ashraf Abdul-Wahab.
Tripoli, 5 August 2014:
Warshefana forces are reported to have captured Camp 27, the major military barracks between Zawia and . . .[restrict]the Warshefana area. It was taken in an overnight operation from Libya Shield units who are supporting the Misrata-led Operation Libya Dawn against the Zintanis. Pictures have been circulating on social media of Zintanis inside the camp.
There are reports, however, of a counter attack being planned by forces from Sabratha and east Zawia allied to the Misratans. By mid afternoon today, though, no such attack had begun.
The Zintanis and Warshefana announced yesterday that they were going to attack the camp after they had destroyed the base in Janzour of the National Mobile Forces which with the local Fursan Janzour Brigade, are also part of Operation Libya Dawn.
According to locals in Janzour, the capture of Camp 27 was the result of a joint operation between the Warshefana and Zintanis. The latter bombarded Janzour with missiles yesterday – more than 100 are said to have fallen in the district – to force the Fursan Janzour to call in help from the Libya Shield units at Camp 27. When this happened, the Warshefana then moved in and seized the camp.
Eight men are said to have been killed in the attack, five from Libya Shield and three from the Warshefana. Sixty militiamen were reported injured. Twenty seven from the Libya Shield units were taken to the hospital at Zawia and 33 from the Warshefana to the hospital at Zahra.
The Libya Shield forces who had gone to Janzour to help the Fursan were then cut off and apparently had to be taken by boat from Sidi Bilal, between Camp 27 and Janzour, to Zawia.
The camp, originally the home of the infamous Khamis Brigade, has changed hands several times over the past two years. Libya Shield Western Region, which took it over in September 2013 from the army, handed it over two months later to the Warshefana who then handed it back the army. However, by early this year it was in the hands of militants and then again in those of Libya Shield, who are now allied with the Misratans. [/restrict]
