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In what it described as ‘‘a painful and fatal blow to smugglers, arms dealers, and outlaws’’, the 444th Combat Brigade, a detachment of the (western-based) Libyan Army, conducted a wide operation at dawn on Friday south of Tripoli.
It reported that it raided 12 dens of armed gangs in the city of Nisma, 237 km south of Tripoli, used for kidnapping, fuel smuggling arms dealing.
The operation led to the arrest of 8 gang members and the liberation of 11 abducted foreigners (African migrants). The abductees were being tortured, and ransom was being demanded by the gangs from their families in exchange for their release.
Six fuel trucks and large quantities of weapons, ammunition and military vehicles were also confiscated.
