Benghazi: Nine people were killed on Sunday in new violence in Benghazi where pro-government forces have launched an offensive against Islamist militias, raising the toll to 75 dead in five days, medics said.
In the latest violence a woman was killed in a bomb attack that targeted the vacant house of former general Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the offensive launched on Wednesday, a military source said.
The woman was walking past the house with her daughter, who was wounded in the bombing, said the Benghazi Medical Centre, adding that it had also received the bodies of eight other people including two soldiers.
Fierce fighting raged in several parts of Libya's second city between pro-government forces led by Haftar and Islamist militias, an AFP correspondent and witnesses said.
Air raids carried out by units of the air force loyal to Haftar pounded Islamist positions.
On Saturday the United States joined Britain, France, Germany and Italy in calling for an "immediate" end to long-running violence there between government forces and militias.
Since a 2011 revolution that toppled Libya's longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi, interim authorities have failed to establish a regular army and had to rely on state-backed militias.
The European powers and the United States said they were "concerned" by the operations carried out by Haftar, although he has the backing of army units while civilians too have taken up arms.
"We consider that Libya's security challenges and the fight against terrorist organisations can only be sustainably addressed by regular armed forces under the control of a central authority which is accountable to a democratic and inclusive parliament," a joint statement said.
In the latest violence a woman was killed in a bomb attack that targeted the vacant house of former general Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the offensive launched on Wednesday, a military source said.
The woman was walking past the house with her daughter, who was wounded in the bombing, said the Benghazi Medical Centre, adding that it had also received the bodies of eight other people including two soldiers.
Air raids carried out by units of the air force loyal to Haftar pounded Islamist positions.
Advertisement
On Saturday the United States joined Britain, France, Germany and Italy in calling for an "immediate" end to long-running violence there between government forces and militias.
Since a 2011 revolution that toppled Libya's longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi, interim authorities have failed to establish a regular army and had to rely on state-backed militias.
Advertisement
"We consider that Libya's security challenges and the fight against terrorist organisations can only be sustainably addressed by regular armed forces under the control of a central authority which is accountable to a democratic and inclusive parliament," a joint statement said.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
US Judge Says "Monopolist" Google Can't Avoid App Store Reforms Amid War, US Approves $20 Billion Arms Package For Israel US Student Gets 21 Months In Prison For Threatening Jewish Classmates Mob Vandalised Kolkata Doctor Rape Murder Case Crime Scene? Cops Respond Tear Gas Fired After Kolkata Protest Against Doctor's Rape-Murder Turns Violent 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing NEET PG 2024 Results To Be Out Soon, Check Details Indian Gaming Products Should Make Mark Worldwide: PM Modi Ayatollah Khamenei Warns Of "Divine Wrath" If Iran Backs Down Against Israel Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.