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By Maha Suliman and Aymen Amzein.
Benghazi, 26 November 2014:
Violence in Benghazi is at its lowest today for weeks. Life is many . . .[restrict]districts, such as Salmani, Barka, Kish and Majuri, is now back to near normal with people now confidently venturing out for shopping, family visit and other social activities. Several companies have called staff back to work, although office hours are shortened 8am – 5pm to 9am – 2pm.
People are generally now out on the streets between 7am and 7pm. They are relatively deserted after this. The cars vanish and the shops are shut.
After the recent heavy clashes in Sabri, the occasional explosions are still being heard in the south western suburbs of Hawari and Gwarsha where Ansar still has something of a presence, but it is increasingly rare. In one specific incident a shell landed outside Benghazi Medical Centre this afternoon by the extension mortuary, but there were no casualties and only minor material damage.
The main problem is the snipers who constitute the remnants of Ansar Al-Sharia. They are still active in places such as Bel Awn, Shibna and Suq Al-Hoot in central Benghazi. In a street war that is remarkably similar to what happened in Misrata during the 2011 revolution when remaining Qaddafi soldiers took to the roofs of buildings to fire at anything that moved, Ansar snipers are now doing the same in Benghazi.
The LNA says it has taken control of Al-Nawagiya in south west Benghazi and it now intends to take the Tikah district in the south of the city. It also says that it is looking at demolishing buildings where snipers are lurking.
The Red Crescent managed today to recover two bodies, one in Hawari and the other in Tika said to be that of a Chadian man. Both were taken to the BMC. [/restrict]
