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By Libya Herald staff.
Tunis, 24 April 2015:
Libyan National Army (LNA) aircraft again bombed Islamic State positions in Derna this morning. It . . .[restrict]follows air raids in and around the town yesterday in which the LNA claims the Yemeni emir (leader) of the Islamic State (IS) in the town was killed. It named him as Abu Azam Al-Yemeni.
Derna sources, however, say he died the previous day having been wounded in the fighting that resulted in the slaughter of members of the Harir Al-Mansouri family by IS combatants.
Details have emerged indicating that 10 IS members were killed in the clashes and others wounded, two of whom have since died. One has been named as Abu Saleh Al-Masri.
The clashes lasted some 12 hours.
It is also reported from Derna that disgust at the killing of the Harir Al-Mansouris has now resulted in local people starting to rearm ahead of possible action against IS. Tribes in and around the town are said to have met to plan its liberation and asked the LNA for weapons to do so.
Tied down in Benghazi, the LNA is seen as being in no position to act other than by carrying out bombing raids.
It appears that IS itself is sufficiently concerned about its hold over the town and a possible attack that it has begun a reign of terror there.
Following the public “crucifixion” of the Harir Al-Mansouri men as a warning to others not to challenge them, it is reported that neighbours of the family have been arrested and at least one, named as Abdul-Wahab Al-Drisi, shot dead yesterday.
The IS members allegedly killed on Tuesday have been named as Sulaiman Basit Al-Khram, known as Abu Aisha, Hassan Al-Salhin, nicknamed Abu Dhahab, Ahmed Ben Sulaiman (Abu Jaldin), Salah Hussein (Abu Marim Al-Masri), Hamid Faraj Al-Haj (Abu Jandal), Ahemd Ben Hamdan (Abu’l Bara Al-Yemeni), Hassan Al-Shaari (Abu’l Azaim), Rida Al-Daik (Abu’l Harth), Mohamed Al-Hasadi (Al-Saif) and Mohamed Ahmed Al-Bah (Abu Akram).
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