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By Ayman Amzein.
Benghazi, 20 January 2016:
Fighting in Benghazi has intensified in the last 48 hours as the army repelled one assault . . .[restrict]by IS and then appeared to make ground in Sabri and Suq Al-Hud.
However, the terrorists have fired a series of mortars and shells one of which this evening slammed into a block of flats killing a 49 year old woman teacher. Four soldiers were seriously injured in today’s fighting while the army claimed that it had killed at least three IS fighters who had been attacking a base in the chocolate factory.
Last night five Grad missiles were fired from Leithi and landed near Benina Airport causing minor damage but no injuries.
Reporting on the fighting has been made difficult by recent army restrictions. An army source told this newspaper that there was concern that IS commanders were gaining useful intelligence from TV footage shot immediately behind the lines. There are also unconfirmed reports that the terrorists have been using a hobbyist drone to spy out army positions.
Meanwhile Benghazi continues to suffer from electricity cuts because of last week’s rocket damage to the Benghazi North power station. State power company GECOL has been trying to operate a rolling programme of shutdowns each lasting not more than two or three hours. However this morning part of the city centre was without electricity for six hours. [/restrict]
