By Maha Suleiman and Moutaz Ahmed.
Cairo/Benghazi, 19 March 2015:
Twenty five Libyan National Army (LNA) troops have been killed . . .[restrict]and 170 wounded in two weeks of fighting with Benghazi Revolutionary Shoura Council (BRSC).
Medical sources told the Libya Herald the casualties sustained over the period represented only those from the LNA, because the Islamist brigades ranged against them do not publicise their losses.
During this fortnight, very little territory has been gained or lost, with the worst of the fighting continuing in Guwarsha and Laithi. Bomb disposal experts yesterday defused two six kilogram explosive devices in in Laithi. Saiqa released a statement online explaining that Tarek Saiede, one of the experts, found the bombs planted in a pram in the Sani Aziziya area.
Ansar Al-Sharia and BRSC have been making renewed efforts to take back Benghazi Port, a key strategic resupply point, from the LNA but have not broken through.
A member of Saiqa Special Forces, who did not wish to be identified, told this newspaper that BRSC was shelling the port regularly but the bombardment was not accurate enough to have a real effect. The source also said tanks had been deployed by the LNA in Buatni, a residential district on the approach to Benina Airport. This had led to some gains in Ardiq Al-Wadiq.
Nevertheless, claims made by General Khalifa Hafter, the commander of the Libyan armed forces, that Benghazi will be liberated in its entirety within one month appear optimistic to those residents contacted by the Libya Herald. The city has endured nearly five months of intense clashes since LNA forces began retaking Benghazi district by district.
More repair work is taking place at Benina Airport, which has been closed since May. Military sources said the airport was firmly under LNA control but that the surrounding area was not yet secure enough to restart flights. There were reports that new baggage handling equipment and aircraft steps have been delivered to the airport.
Saqr Geroushi, the head of the Libyan Air Force, has said previously that Benina would not reopen until all of Benghazi was under government control.
[/restrict]
