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By Noora Ibrahim and Adam Ali.
Benghazi, 26 October 2014:
It has been announced on television in Tripoli and Misrata that a new . . .[restrict]organisation called Libya Dawn 2 has been set up to “liberate” Benghazi and the east from Khalifa Hafter and his Operation Dignity forces. According to Libya Dawn-contolled Wataniya TV in Tripoli and An-Nabaa TV, which also supports Libya Dawn, the new forces arrived in Benghazi today. However, this has been dismissed as wishful thinking by officials in the eastern city.
“It’s not true,” Ahmed Al-Mismari, spokesman for the General Chief of Staff, told the Libya Herald. “All the entrances to Benghazi are under our control.”
Residents in the south of Benghazi likewise said there had been no sign of any such brigade.
The battle in the city continued to go badly today for Ansar Al-Sharia and its allies in the Benghazi Revolutionaries’ Shoura Council (BRSC).
In heavy fighting around Benghazi University in Garyounis, occupied by the BRSC, several sources reported that Bouka, the nomme de guerre of Mohamed Al-Araibi, commander of the Brega Martyrs Brigade, had been captured in the fighting. For his part, Mismari refused to mention any names, saying only that a “criminal” who was the commander of a major brigade had been caught.
Also reported captured today were two leading Ansar commanders named as Ali Al-Asabai and Fahim Al-Kuwafi. They are said to have been caught at the Bersis checkpoint northeast of the city.
Bouka, who was reported injured last month, had earlier today released a video from inside the university in which he swore revenge for his Sidi Khalifa home which was attacked and burned the week before last. He also said that he would destroy Hafter and his forces.
According to airforce commander Saqr Adam Geroushi, the university’s administration building was badly damaged in the fighting, with offices containing files and student papers going up in flames. He blamed Ansar Al-Sharia for the destruction. A member of 204 Tank Brigade, Ahmed Sherif, was also reported killed in the university clashes.
The names of others wounded or killed in the action have not been released.
Meanwhile, the army has warned residents in Sabri district to leave the area because heavy weaponry is to be used against remaining Ansar snipers there. One, named Ahmed Gadur, was reported killed and another, Khaled Al-Khafafi, as having surrendered. Yesterday, the LNA said that two of its soldiers were killed and 13 others injured in clashes in Sabri.
It is also reported today that homes belonging to Ansar supporters in the district and in Majouri have been set on fire by neighbours.
In other news in the city, nine bodies were said to have been found in the Libya Shield No 1 base operated by Wisam Ben Hamid in Kuwaifiya district and which was captured earlier. Some of the bodies had been burned and are believed to be those opponents of Ansar and its allies. [/restrict]
